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  Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill - Clause 9 - Number and distribution of seats
  
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  @MP voted aye to reduce the number of MPs to 600 and to equalise the number of electors in each UK Parliamentary constituency with some exceptions for hard to access areas. 
  @MP voted no against reducing  the number of MPs to 600 and against equalising the number of electors in each UK Parliamentary constituency.
  
  The majority of MPs voted to accept Clause 9 of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill as amended. 
  
  The key elements of the clause include:
  *Setting the number of MPs at 600 (a reduction from 650). This provision was the subject of a separate division[1] and was the primary subject of debate on the Clause. 
  *Equalising the number of electors in each Parliamentary Constituency to between 95%-105% of the "quota" arrived at by dividing the total number of electors by the number of MPs to be elected.
  *Making exceptions to the lower limit for sparsely populated areas to prevent impractically large constituencies. 
  *The constituencies of "Orkney and Shetland" and "Na h-Eileanan an Iar" (The Outer Hebrides) are to be preserved. 
  *A provision allowing Northern Ireland to be allocated a set number of seats. 
  
  
  What was Clause 9 during the committee of the whole house became Clause 10[2] in the next draft of the Bill. 
  
  
  * [1] [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2010-10-20&number=91 Division on The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill â Clause 9 â Number of MPs]
  * [2] [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmbills/098/11098.6-12.html#j50 Clause 10 of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill - Number and distribution of seats] As published on 26.10.2010 ie. the text of the clause as amended in the Commons. 
  
  
  
  
  
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  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  