text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill - Clause 11 - permissible variation in population in a constituency
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  
  
  A majority of MPs voted ''against'' making the changes to the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill proposed by the Lords amendment 16. During the debate, Mark Harper MP said:
  
  :'The amendment would give the Boundary Commission the discretion to propose constituencies within an extended 15% range of the UK electoral quota in the event that a commission considered that exceptional local ties or geographical circumstances made it necessary for a viable constituency. That means that the plus or minus 5% rule could be extended to plus or minus 7.5% in the exceptional circumstances set out in the amendment.'
  
  MPs voting against this change were therefore implying that they believe that having an equal number of MPs in a constituency is more important than having constituencies based on local ties or geographical circumstances.
  
  This amendment is closely linked to [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2011-02-15&number=203 Lords amendment 19].
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  