Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru etc. Act 2013

[F1 49G Public hearings E+W

(1) During the second period for representations, the Commission must hold at least two but no more than five public hearings to enable representations to be made about its proposals.

(2) The public hearings must between them cover the whole of Wales.

(3) A public hearing must be completed within two days.

(4) If a hearing is to be held partly through the use of remote facilities (within the meaning given in section 49F(4)), the remote facilities must enable the people making representations at the hearing but who are not in the place where the hearing is being held to speak to and be heard by (whether or not it enables those people to see and be seen by)—

(a) each other, and

(b) people at the place where the hearing is being held.

(5) The Commission must appoint a person to chair each hearing (“the chair”).

(6) The chair must determine the procedure that is to govern that hearing.

(7) The chair must make arrangements for a public hearing to begin with an explanation of—

(a) the proposals with which the hearing is concerned;

(b) how representations about the proposals may be made.

(8) The chair must allow representations to be made—

(a) by each political party that is registered under Part 2 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41) and either—

(i) has at least one Member of the Senedd, or

(ii) received at least 10% of the votes cast in the most recent general election;

(b) by any other person considered by the chair to have an interest in any of the proposals with which the hearing is concerned (subject to subsection (9)(c)).

(9) The chair may—

(a) determine the order in which representations are made;

(b) restrict the amount of time allowed for representations and need not allow the same amount to each person;

(c) if necessary because of shortage of time, determine which of the persons mentioned in subsection (8)(b) are not allowed to make representations.

(10) The chair may put questions, or allow questions to be put, to a person making representations at the hearing.

(11) If questions are allowed to be put, the chair may regulate the manner of questioning or restrict the number of questions a person may ask.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. 3A inserted (24.8.2024) by Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (asc 4), s. 25(2)(c), Sch. 3 para. 1 (with Sch. 3 para. 3)