To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what data on the views of the general public were used by the Boundary Committee for England in formulating its options for consultation on the future structure of local government in Suffolk. (275178)

The Electoral Commission informs me that in formulating its further draft proposals for public consultation, the Boundary Committee had regard to the representations made to it during its July 2008 consultations. All of these representations are available to view on the Electoral Commission’s website.

To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission how much funding from the public purse had been spent by the Boundary Committee for England on the structural review of Suffolk local government on the latest date for which figures are available; and how much such funding is available for that review for the remainder of the 2009-10 financial year. (275190)

The Electoral Commission informs me that the total costs of the Suffolk structural review to 25 March 2009 are £282,535.

For the financial year 2009-10, £269,782 has been allocated for the structural reviews of Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk. Costs for 2009-10 have not been broken down by individual review.

To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what proportion of town and parish councils which expressed a view on the Boundary Committee for England’s structural review of Suffolk local government expressed support for one of its preferred patterns without modification. (275221)

The Electoral Commission informs me that an analysis by the Boundary Committee of the level of support, or otherwise, from parish and town councils for patterns of unitary local government is not yet complete. Consultation on the Committee’s further draft proposals for Suffolk ends on 14 May. After that date, the Committee will consider all representations received in deciding, what, if any, advice to provide to the Secretary of State. An analysis of the representations received will be published at the end of the review.

To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what ratio of residents to councillors is used in the business case for the pattern (a) A and (b) B option under consideration in the Boundary Committee for England's structural review of Suffolk local government. (275222)

The Electoral Commission informs me that the ratio of residents to councillors is not among the criteria that the Boundary Committee has used to identify its further draft proposals.

To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission how many of the responses to the Boundary Committee for England's July 2008 consultation on the structure of local government in Suffolk expressed the view that Lowestoft should remain part of Suffolk. (275223)

The Electoral Commission informs me that of the 1,585 respondents who expressed a view on whether Lowestoft should be included in a Norfolk based authority, 1,326 respondents specifically stated that they considered it should be retained in a Suffolk based authority.