Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

I suggest that the noble Lord still needs a bit of practice in the art of emollient speaking but it is a start. However, I simply cannot sit down without saying one sentence about the costs. The Government’s figures claim that culling 50 MPs would save in the order of £12 million. We know that we have to have an accelerated Boundary Commission—that is completely unnecessary in my view—which, if previous Boundary Commissions are anything to go by, would cost more than £12 million, so there certainly will not be any immediate saving. Indeed, there will be an immediate cost. Thereafter, Boundary Commissions will take place with at least twice the frequency than has been the case in the past for no obvious good reason that I have yet discerned. Therefore, there will be an ongoing cost to the Boundary Commission as there will be an ongoing saving. But the best way to save money that I can recommend to the Government—I leave the Government with this thought as I withdraw the amendment—is, why not save £85 million by scrapping the referendum on the alternative vote? Amendment 63YC withdrawn. Amendment 63ZA not moved.