Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986

3 Reports of the Commissions. U.K.

(1) Each Boundary Commission shall keep under review the representation in the House of Commons of the part of the United Kingdom with which they are concerned and shall, in accordance with subsection (2) below, submit to the [F1 Speaker of the House of Commons] reports with respect to the whole of that part of the United Kingdom, either—

(a) Showing the constituencies into which they recommend that it should be divided in order to give effect to the rules set out in [F2 Schedule 2 to this Act], or

(b) stating that, in the opinion of the Commission, no alteration is required to be made in respect of that part of the United Kingdom in order to give effect to the said rules F3 ....

[F4 (2) Each Boundary Commission must submit a report under subsection (1)—

(a) before 1 July 2023,

(b) before 1 October 2031, and

(c) before 1 October of every eighth year after that.]

[F5 (2ZA) On submitting a report to the Speaker under subsection (1), a Boundary Commission must send a copy of it to the Secretary of State F6 ....

(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.]

F7 [(2A) A failure by a Boundary Commission to submit a report within the time limit which is appropriate to that report shall not be regarded as invalidating the report for the purposes of any enactment.]

[F8 (2B) In relation to any report which a Boundary Commission are required by subsection (2) above to submit before a particular date but have not yet submitted (a “pending boundary report”), the Commission shall submit to the Speaker of the House of Commons—

(a) during the [F9 relevant January], and

(b) during each subsequent January,

a report setting out what progress they have made with the preparation of the pending boundary report, with particular reference to the requirement in subsection (2) above.

[F10 (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).]

(2C) On receiving a report under subsection (2B) above, the Speaker shall lay it before Parliament.]

F11 (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) A report of a Boundary Commission under this Act showing the constituencies into which they recommend that any area should be divided shall state, as respects each constituency, the name by which they recommend that it should be known, and whether they recommend that it should be a county constituency or a borough constituency (or in Scotland a county constituency or a burgh constituency).

F12 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (5A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (5B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (5C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6) Schedule 2 to this Act which contains the rules referred to above F13 ... shall have effect.

F14 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F15 (7A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F14 (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 3(1) substituted (14.12.2020) by Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020 (c. 25), ss. 1(2), 14(2) (with s. 13(2))

F2 Words in s. 3(1)(a) substituted (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), ss. 10(2)(a), 19(1) (with s. 13(5))

F3 Words in s. 3(1)(b) repealed (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), ss. 10(2)(b), 19(1), Sch. 12 (with s. 13(5))

F4 S. 3(2) substituted (14.12.2020) by Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020 (c. 25), ss. 1(3), 14(2) (with s. 13(2))

F5 S. 3(2ZA)-(2ZC) inserted (14.12.2020) by Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020 (c. 25), ss. 1(4), 14(2) (with s. 13(2))

F6 Words in s. 3(2ZA) omitted (8.12.2021) by virtue of The Transfer of Functions (Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/1265), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 5(2) (with art. 12)

F7 S. 3(2A) inserted (12.11.1992) by Boundary Commissions Act 1992 (c. 55), s. 2(4)

F8 S. 3(2B)(2C) inserted (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), ss. 10(4), 19(1) (with s. 13(5))

F9 Words in s. 3(2B)(a) substituted (14.12.2020) by Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020 (c. 25), ss. 1(5), 14(2) (with s. 13(2))

F10 S. 3(2BA) inserted (14.12.2020) by Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020 (c. 25), ss. 1(6), 14(2) (with s. 13(2))

F11 S. 3(3) repealed (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), ss. 10(5), 19(1), Sch. 12 (with s. 13(5))

F12 S. 3(5)-(5C) omitted (14.12.2020) by virtue of Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020 (c. 25), ss. 1(7), 14(2) (with s. 13(2))

F13 Words in s. 3(6) omitted (16.2.2011) by virtue of Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), s. 19(1), Sch. 12 Pt. 2 (with s. 13(5))

F14 S. 3(7)(8) repealed (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), ss. 10(7), 19(1), Sch. 12 (with s. 13(5))

F15 S. 3(7A) omitted (25.7.2018) by virtue of The Transfer of Functions (Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/780), arts. 1(2), 6(3)(a)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Ss. 3, 4 functions transferred (9.11.2016) by The Transfer of Functions (Elections, Referendums, Third Sector and Information) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/997), arts. 1(2), 5 (with arts. 6, 12)

C2 S. 3 concurrent functions transferred (25.7.2018) by The Transfer of Functions (Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/780), arts. 1(2), 3 (with arts. 4, 5)

C3 S. 3(1) amended (12.11.1992) by Boundary Commissions Act 1992 (c. 55), s. 2(1)(2)

C4 S. 3(2ZA) functions cease to be exercisable concurrently (8.12.2021) by The Transfer of Functions (Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/1265), arts. 1(2), 9, Sch. 1(c) (with arts. 11, 12)