Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003
Encyclopedia
The Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003 (c.10) was an Act
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. Its core provision was to allow the Deputy Prime Minister
to make orders for referendum
s in each of the Regions of England
on the question of whether they wish to have an elected regional assembly
. If the answer was "yes", this would have been implemented by further legislation; and existing two-tier local government areas (shire counties) would have become unitary authorities.
Three such referendums (the Northern England referendums
) were expected in 2004, for the regions of North East
and North West England
and Yorkshire and the Humber
. There were no immediate plans for any in the other 5 applicable regions (East of England
, East Midlands
, South East
, South West
, West Midlands
). Greater London
already has the London Assembly
.
It contained further consequential provisions, including causing the Boundary Committee for England
to make recommendations about what the pattern of unitary authorities should be; and then if a referendum was successful, the composition of the Assemblies. It was expected that the proposed assemblies would have had a similar level of representation to the London Assembly
, which has 25 members, 14 of which represent constituencies, the remainder being apportioned on a top-up party list system.
Following the overwhelming defeat of the referendum in North East England, Deputy Prime Minister
John Prescott
told the House of Commons
he would not move orders for the other two referendums within the effective time limit of June 2005 permitted by the Act. The act was repealed by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009
.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. Its core provision was to allow the Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a senior member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister, who may appoint to other offices...
to make orders for referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
s in each of the Regions of England
Regions of England
In England, the region is the highest tier of sub-national division used by central Government. Between 1994 and 2011, the nine regions had an administrative role in the implementation of UK Government policy, and as the areas covered by elected bodies...
on the question of whether they wish to have an elected regional assembly
Regional Assemblies in England
The Regional Assemblies of England were a group of indirectly elected regional bodies established originally under the name Regional Chambers by the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. They were abolished on 31 March 2010 and replaced by Local Authority Leaders’ Boards...
. If the answer was "yes", this would have been implemented by further legislation; and existing two-tier local government areas (shire counties) would have become unitary authorities.
Three such referendums (the Northern England referendums
Northern England referendums, 2004
The Northern England devolution referendums were referendums starting with the North East region of England, in the United Kingdom, on 4 November 2004. Dubbed by the government the Great North Vote, the referendum proposed that the region should have an elected regional assembly...
) were expected in 2004, for the regions of North East
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
and North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
and Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber is one of the nine regions of England and formally one of the government office regions. It covers most of the historic county of Yorkshire, along with the part of northern Lincolnshire that was, from 1974 to 1996, within the former shire county of Humberside. The...
. There were no immediate plans for any in the other 5 applicable regions (East of England
East of England
The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
, East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
, South East
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
, South West
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
). Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
already has the London Assembly
London Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
.
It contained further consequential provisions, including causing the Boundary Committee for England
Boundary Committee for England
The Boundary Committee for England was a statutory committee of the Electoral Commission, an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. The Committee’s aim was to conduct thorough, consultative and robust reviews of local government areas in England, and for its recommendations to be...
to make recommendations about what the pattern of unitary authorities should be; and then if a referendum was successful, the composition of the Assemblies. It was expected that the proposed assemblies would have had a similar level of representation to the London Assembly
London Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
, which has 25 members, 14 of which represent constituencies, the remainder being apportioned on a top-up party list system.
Following the overwhelming defeat of the referendum in North East England, Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a senior member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister, who may appoint to other offices...
John Prescott
John Prescott
John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott is a British politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Born in Prestatyn, Wales, he represented Hull East as the Labour Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010...
told the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
he would not move orders for the other two referendums within the effective time limit of June 2005 permitted by the Act. The act was repealed by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009
The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The legislation places a duty on local authorities to promote understanding of the functions and democratic arrangements of the authority among local people...
.