To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what the timetable is for periodic electoral reviews for each tier of local government in England. (141868)

The Electoral Commission informs me that the boundary committee for England completed a programme of periodic electoral reviews of all 386 local authorities in England in October 2004. The Commission has no plans to direct the committee to conduct a further programme. It can direct the boundary committee to undertake electoral reviews of individual authorities at any time.

To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what advice the Electoral Commission has provided on combining the date of the 2009 European parliamentary elections and 2009 local elections; and if he will make a statement. (142189)

The Electoral Commission informs me that it has provided no such advice. The Commission was, it also informs me, consulted by the Department for Communities and Local Government on a proposed Government amendment, now made, to the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill to allow the date of ordinary local elections to be moved in years when there are European Parliamentary elections so that the two elections could be combined. The Commission has recommended that the provision should also include a time limit by which such powers must be exercised.