Section 1 — Reports of the Boundary Commissions

(1) Section 3 of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (referred to in this Act as “the 1986 Act”) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) (duty on Boundary Commissions to submit reports to the Secretary of State), for “Secretary of State” substitute “ Speaker of the House of Commons ”.

(3) For subsection (2) (deadline for reports) substitute— (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.

(4) After subsection (2) insert— (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 or the Minister for the Cabinet Office. (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) Omit subsections (5) to (5C) (duty to lay reports and draft Order in Council).