135 AGENDA ITEM [email protected] THE SCOTTISH OFFICE

Home Department St. Andrew’s House Edinburgh EH1 3DG

Telephone 0131-244 J-19 ’@ Fax 0131-244

Chief Executives of Unitary Authorities Electoral Registration Officers

March 1996

Dear Sirhladam

PARLIAMENTARY RETURNING OFFICERS

1. My letter of 6 November 1995 to Chief Executives of the new councils set out the position regarding parliamentary and European parliamentary returning officers after 1 April 1996 (copy attached, EROs only). The letter sought any comments about the councils the Department propose to recommend that the Secretary of State should designate as responsible for appointing a returning officer where a constituency covers more than one unitary authority area.

2. In all but 2 cases the Department’s proposals were acceptable to the councils concerned. In those instances where there was dissension from our proposals the Secretary of State gave careful consideration to the representations that were received from the councils concerned. He was not persuaded, however, that the arguments put forward warranted a departure from the general principles that had been followed and which were outlined in my letter of 6 November. As such, the Secretary of State has agreed that Orders should be made designating the councils, as proposed in my letter, as responsible for appointing returning officers where constituencies cover more than one unitary authority area for:

a. existing parliamentary constituencies in the event of a by-election being held between 1 April and the date of the next general election;

b. new parliamentary constituencies which would take effect at the next general election; and

c. existing European parliamentary constituencies in the event of a by-election being held between 1 April and the next European parliamentary general election in June 1999.

SAS0480 1 1 136

3. Work has now commenced on the preparation of these Orders. To provide you with as much notice as possible, however, a list of the councils responsible for appointing parliamentary and European parliamentary returning officers in &lconstituencies is included as an Annex to this letter.

4. Now that the designation of returning officers has been agreed the Department is considering what advice and guidance to issue to returning officers, many of whom will be undertalung these duties for the first time. Further information will be issued in due course. In the meantime, I would be grateful if all the councils responsible for appointing a parliamentary or European parliamentary returning officer could forward the name and address of the appointed officer at the earliest opportunity to Malcolm Lauder in Room 220, St Andrew’s House. Contact names and telephone numbers of those involved in the detailed plannings of elections would also be appreciated.

5. Any questions or comments on the contents of this letter should be directed to Mr Huw Williams on 013 1-244 2027 or Mr Malcolm Lauder on 013 1-244 21 88.

Yous faiffilly

D K C JEFFREY

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ANNEX A

Current Parliamentary constituencies and the councils responsible for appointing the returning officer for any by-election held between 1 April 1996 and the next general election.

Parliamentary Constituencv Council

Aberdeen North Aberdeen City Aberdeen South Aberdeen City Angus East Angus kgyll and Bute Argyll and Bute Ayr South Ayrshire Banff and Buchan Aberdeenshire Caithness and Sutherland Highland Canick, Cumnock and Doon Valley East Ayrshire Central Fife Fife Clackmannan Clackmannanshre Clydebank and Milngavie West Dunbartonshire Clydesdale South Lanarkshire Cumbernauld and Kilsyth North Lanarkshire Cunninghame North North Ayrshire Cunninghame South North Ayrshire Dumbarton West Dunbartonshire Dumfries Dumfkies and Galloway Dundee East Dundee City Dundee West Dundee City Dunfermline East Fife Dunfermline West Fife East Kilbride South Lanarkshire East Lothian East Lothian Eastwood East Renfrewshire Edinburgh Central City of Edinburgh Edinburgh East City of Edinburgh Edinburgh Leith City of Edinburgh Edinburgh Pentlands City of Edinburgh Edinburgh South City of Edinburgh Edinburgh West City of Edinburgh Fakirk East Falkirk Fallcirk West Falkirk Galloway and Upper Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway Glasgow Cathcart City of Glasgow Glasgow Central City of Glasgow Glasgow Garscadden City of Glasgow Glasgow Govan City of Glasgow Glasgow Hillhead City of Glasgow Glasgow Maryhill City of Glasgow Glasgow Pollok City of Glasgow

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Glasgow Provan City of Glasgow -. Glasgow Rutherglen City of Glasgow c- Glasgow Shettleston City of Glasgow Glasgow Springburn City of Glasgow Gordon Aberdeenshire Greenock and Port Glasgow Inverclyde Hamilton South Lanarkshire Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber Highland Kilmarnock and Loudoun East Ayrshire Kincardine and Deeside Aberdeenshire Kirkcaldy Fife Linlithgow West Lothian Livingston West Lothian Midlothian Midlothian Monklands East North Lanarkshire Monklands West North Lanarkshire Moray Moray Motherwell North North Lanarkshire Motherwell South North Lanarkshire North East Fife Fife North Tayside Perth and Kinross Orkney and Shetland Orkney Islands Paisley North Renfrewshire Paisley South Renfrewshire Perth and Kinross Perth and Kinross Renfrew West and Inverclyde Renfrewshire Ross, Cromarty and Skye Highland Roxburgh and Berwickshire The Scottish Borders Stirling Stirling Strathkelvin and Bearsden East Dunbartonshire Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale The Scottish Borders Western Isles Western Isles

JAC01550.026 2. 139

ANNEX B

New Parliamentary constituencies and the councils responsible for appointing the returning officer at the next general election.

Parliamentary Constituency Council

Aberdeen Central Aberdeen City Aberdeen North Aberdeen City Aberdeen South Aberdeen City Airdrie and Shotts North Lanarkshire Angus Angus Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute Ayr South Ayrshire Banff and Buchan Aberdeenshire Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Highland Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley South Ayrshire Central Fife Fife Clydebank and Milngavie West Dunbartonshire C lydesdale South Lanarkshire Coatbridge and Chryston North Lanarkshire Cumbemauld and filsyth North Lanarkshire Cunninghame North North Ayrshire Cunninghame South North Ayrshire Dumbarton West Dunbartonshire Dumfries Dumfries and Galloway Dundee East Dundee City Dundee West Dundee City Dunfermline East Fife Dunfermline West Fife East Kilbride South Lanarkshire East Lothian East Lothian Eastwood East Renfrewshire Edinburgh Central City of Edinburgh Edinburgh East and Musselburgh City of Edinburgh Edinburgh North and Leith City of Edinburgh Edinburgh Pentlands City of Edinburgh Edinburgh South City of Edinburgh Edinburgh West City of Edinburgh Falkirk East Falkirk Fallcirk West Falkirk Galloway and Upper Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway Glasgow Anniesland City of Glasgow Glasgow Ballieston City of Glasgow Glasgow Cathcart City of Glasgow Glasgow Govan City of Glasgow Glasgow Kelvin City of Glasgow

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Glasgow Maryh11 City of Glasgow Glasgow Pollok City of Glasgow Glasgow Rutherglen South Lanarkshire Glasgow Shettleston City of Glasgow Glasgow Springburn City of Glasgow Gordon Aberdeenshire Greenock and Inverclyde Inverclyde Hamilton North and Bellshill North Lanarkshire Hamilton South South Lanarkshire Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber Highland Kilmarnock and Loudoun East Ayrshire Kirkcaldy Fife Linlithgow West Lothian Livingston West Lothian Midlothian Midlothian Moray Moray Motherwell and Wishaw North Lanarkshire North East Fife Fife North Tayside Perth and Kinross Ochil Clackmannanshire Orkney and Shetland Orkney Islands Paisley North Renfiewshire Paisley South Renfiewshre Perth Perth and Kinross Ross, Skye and Inverness West Highland Roxburgh and Berwickshire The Scottish Borders Stirling Stirling Strathkelvin and Bearsden East Dunbartonshire Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale The Scottish Borders West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Aberdeenshire Western Isles Western Isles West Renfiewshire Renfiewshire

JACO 1650.026 2. 141

ANNEX C

European Parliamentary constituencies and the councils responsible for appointing European Parliamentary returning officers for any by-election which might take place between 1 April 1996 and the next European Parliamentary general election in 1999.

European Parliamentary Constituencv Council

Glasgow City of Glasgow Highlands and Islands Highland Lothians City of Edinburgh Mid Scotland and Fife Fife North East Scotland Aberdeen City South of Scotland Dumfries and Galloway Strathclyde East North Lanarkshire Strathclyde West Renfiewshire

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Telephone: 01698 266166, Fax: 01698 230265 Extension: 2350 Andrew Cowe Contact: Mr Cowe Chief Executive Your Ref: PO Box 14. Civic Centre Our Ref AICIAF Motherwell, ML1 1TW Date: 4 March, 1996

D K C Jeffrey Esq The Scottish Office Home Department St Andrew's House Edinburgh EH1 3DG

Dear Sir

Parliamentary Returning Officers

I refer to your letter of 1 March 1996 and would advise you that this Council has agreed that I should be the Parliamentary and European Parliamentary Returning Officer for all constituencies for which this Council is responsible for nominating the Returning Officer.

Yours sincerely

I\parretof. con