P ART 4 B OUNDARIES S COTLAND 28 Boundaries Scotland 10 (1) The commission originally constituted under section 12 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland is to continue to be a commission but is renamed and is to be known as Boundaries Scotland. (2) Accordingly— (a) in section 12(1) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, for the words from 15 “Local” to the end of the subsection substitute “commission to be known as Boundaries Scotland which is to carry out the functions conferred on it by or under this Act or any other enactment.”, (b) any reference in any enactment to the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland is, unless the contrary intention appears, to be construed as a 20 reference to the commission’s new name, Boundaries Scotland. (3) The schedule makes further provision in consequence of this section. 29 Reviews of local government wards and number of councillors (1) In the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973— (a) for section 16(2), substitute— 25 “(2) Boundaries Scotland must review the electoral arrangements for a local government area for the purpose of— (a) considering whether to make proposals to the Scottish Ministers for a substantive change in those arrangements, (b) considering what proposals, if any, to make, and 30 (c) formulating any such proposals. (2A) Boundaries Scotland must submit to the Scottish Ministers a report on its review of the electoral arrangements for a local government area under subsection (2)— (a) in the case of the first report on its review of that area after the coming 35 into force of this subsection by, in so far as is reasonably practicable, no later than 31 December 2028, and (b) thereafter, in so far as is reasonably practicable, at intervals of not more than 15 years after the date of the submission of the report on its previous review of that area under subsection (2).”, Scottish Elections (Reform) Bill 17 Part 4—Boundaries Scotland (b) the title of section 16 becomes “Wards and councillors: substantive changes in electoral arrangements”. (2) For the purposes of subsection (2A) of section 16 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (as inserted by subsection (1)(a) of this section), a report on the review of the 5 electoral arrangements for a local government area under section 20 of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 is to be taken to be the first report mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (2A) (irrespective of whether the report is submitted before or after that subsection comes into force). (3) Accordingly, section 20(4) of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 is repealed. 10 30 Changes to boundaries of parliamentary constituencies: procedure (1) Paragraph 6 of schedule 1 of the Scotland Act 1998 (Orders in Council) is amended as follows. (2) In sub-paragraph (3)— (a) the words “by leave of the Parliament” are repealed, 15 (b) after “amend the draft” insert “to make such minor or technical alterations as they consider appropriate”. (3) After that sub-paragraph insert— “(3A) As soon as reasonably practicable after laying the draft so amended, the Scottish Ministers must publish a statement setting out their reasons for making 20 the minor or technical alterations to the draft. (3B) The Scottish Ministers must not withdraw a draft Order laid before the Parliament under paragraph 3(9)(b) or sub-paragraph (3) except with the agreement of the Parliament.”. (4) After sub-paragraph (4) insert— 25 “(4A) If the Scottish Ministers do not lay an amended draft Order under sub- paragraph (3), the Scottish Ministers must notify Boundaries Scotland that it is required to conduct, in accordance with sub-paragraph (4B), a further review of the alterations proposed to the boundaries by the draft Order which was rejected or withdrawn. 30 (4B) Once notified, Boundaries Scotland must conduct a further review of the proposed alterations and may...