Explanatory Notes

Scotland Act 1998

1998 CHAPTER 46

19th November 1998

Commentary

Part V: Miscellaneous and General

SECTION 86: Scottish representation at Westminster.
Details of Provisions

Subsection (1) introduces the amendments made by the section to the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986.

Subsection (2) removes the requirement in the rules for a minimum number of Scottish constituencies.

Subsection (3) provides a new rule 3A to the effect that when undertaking a review of Westminster constituencies, the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Scotland cannot, in any constituency containing the Orkney islands or Shetland Islands, include the whole or any other part of a local government area other than those 2 areas.

Subsection (4) provides that, for the Scottish Commission’s next mandatory review only, the electoral quota to be used is the electoral quota for England on the enumeration date for the Scottish review. After the Commission’s next mandatory review it would revert to using the Scottish quota as defined in rule 5.

Subsection (5) makes provision consequential on subsection (3), in particular making it clear that the Commission have to comply with the new rule 3A inserted by that subsection.