2
Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020 (c. 25)
(2ZB) On receiving a report under subsection (1), the Speaker must lay it before Parliament.
(2ZC) As soon as reasonably practicable after a report of a Boundary Commission has been laid under subsection (2ZB), the Commission must publish it in such manner as they think fit.”
(5) In subsection (2B)(a) (duty to submit progress reports to the Speaker), for “January that begins one year and nine months before that date” substitute “relevant January”.
(6) After subsection (2B) insert—
“(2BA) For the purposes of subsection (2B), “the relevant January” means—
(a) January 2022, in the case of a report required by subsection (2) to be submitted before 1 July 2023, and
(b) in the case of any other report required by subsection (2) to be submitted before a particular date, the January that begins one year and nine months before that date.
(For example, January 2030 in the case of a report required to be submitted before 1 October 2031).”
(7) (7) Omit subsections (5) to (5C) (duty to lay reports and draft Order in Council).
2. Orders in Council giving effect to reports
(1) Section 4 of the 1986 Act (Orders in Council) is amended as follows.
(2) For subsections (1) to (4) (procedure for draft Orders in Council) substitute—
“(1) After all four reports under section 3(1) which are required by section 3(2) to be submitted before a particular date have been laid before Parliament under section 3(2ZB), the Secretary of State or the Minister for the Cabinet Office must submit to Her Majesty in Council a draft of an Order in Council for giving effect to the recommendations in those of the four reports (if any) which are reports under section 3(1)(a) (report with recommendations).
(2) The draft of an Order in Council must be submitted under subsection (1)—
(a) as soon as reasonably practicable after all four reports have been laid before Parliament as mentioned in that subsection, and
(b) in any case, no later than the end of the four month period unless there are exceptional circumstances.
(3) “The four month period” means the period of four months beginning with the first date on which all four reports have been laid before Parliament as mentioned in subsection (1).
(4) If the draft of an Order in Council is not submitted under subsection (1) before the end of the four month period, the Secretary of State or the Minister for the Cabinet Office must lay one or more statements before Parliament in accordance with subsection (4A) specifying the exceptional circumstances.
(4A) A statement must be laid—
(a) before the end of the period of 10 sitting days beginning with the first sitting day after the end of the four month period, and