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Answering member
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Lord Wills
Type
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Wills, Lord (66)
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of transporting election literature for Freepost delivery from the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth; and what requirements there are on candidates to declare the cost of delivering election literature.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of transporting election literature for Freepost delivery from the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth; and what requirements there are on candidates to declare the cost of delivering election literature.
Asked by
Andrew Turner
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
25 March 2010
For answer on
30 March 2010
Answered on
30 March 2010
Under section 91 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 ("the 1983 Act"), candidates at parliamentary elections are entitled to send free of charge for postage either one election communication to each elector, or one to each household, in the constituency in which they are standing, subject to any reasonable terms and conditions specified by the universal service provider (the Royal Mail). The cost of the delivery of candidates' election communications to UK addresses by the universal service provider is met by the Consolidated Fund. The Government have made no estimate of the cost of transporting election literature from one location to another for onward delivery by the universal service provider under the provisions of the 1983 Act, since these costs are not met from the Consolidated Fund.Under the provisions of the 1983 Act, within 35 days after the day on which the result of the election is declared, the election agent of every candidate is required to deliver to the appropriate officer a statement of election expenses incurred by or on behalf of the candidate. Election expenses are those which are used for the purposes of the candidate's election and are incurred in respect of matters listed in Part 1 of schedule 4A of the 1983 Act. Under that schedule, expenses in respect of unsolicited material addressed to electors include design costs and other costs in connection with preparing, producing or distributing such material.
Subjects
Elections; Isle of Wight; Postal services; General Election 2010
Date
30 March 2010
Reference
508 c1080W; 325051
House
House of Commons
I am sad that the hon. Gentleman, for whom I have a great deal of respect, has his facts wrong in almost every particular. The working group was not set up in January; it was set up last autumn. The hon. Gentleman should not take his information from what he reads in the papers; they are not always right. In this case they are wrong, and he was wrong to quote them. I am sorry that he thinks what we have done is too little, too late—and I am trying to recall all the letters he has written to me about this issue in the past, but I am afraid I cannot recall any. In fact, the Opposition were, sadly, silent on the subject until I started work on it. [Interruption.] I am afraid the record speaks for itself, and it is quite clear. I am happy to show it to any hon. Member who wants to approach me afterwards. [Interruption.] As Opposition Members well know, I have tried to approach the matter on a cross-party basis. It is important for all Members of the House to do everything they can to expedite postal voting for those who want to use it, and to ensure that every member of the armed services is registered to vote. That is the work that we are undertaking. The working party has reported, and if the hon. Gentleman knew what his Front-Bench team know, he would know that I wrote to them a few days ago asking them to support the work proposed by the working group.
I am sad that the hon. Gentleman, for whom I have a great deal of respect, has his facts wrong in almost every particular. The working group was not set up in January; it was set up last autumn. The hon. Gentleman should not take his information from what he reads in the papers; they are not always right. In this case they are wrong, and he was wrong to quote them. I am sorry that he thinks what we have done is too little, too late—and I am trying to recall all the letters he has written to me about this issue in the past, but I am afraid I cannot recall any. In fact, the Opposition were, sadly, silent on the subject until I started work on it. [Interruption.] I am afraid the record speaks for itself, and it is quite clear. I am happy to show it to any hon. Member who wants to approach me afterwards. [Interruption.] As Opposition Members well know, I have tried to approach the matter on a cross-party basis. It is important for all Members of the House to do everything they can to expedite postal voting for those who want to use it, and to ensure that every member of the armed services is registered to vote. That is the work that we are undertaking. The working party has reported, and if the hon. Gentleman knew what his Front-Bench team know, he would know that I wrote to them a few days ago asking them to support the work proposed by the working group.
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Asked by
James Duddridge
(Conservative)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Oral answers to questions
Sadly, that is too little, too late. Given that the working group was set up in January, why has it not yet reported, and can the Minister confirm that a working group set up in January will have no impact whatever on the next election?
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; General Election 2010
Date
23 March 2010
Reference
508 c116
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman and I am sure the whole House wishes to express its appreciation of the sacrifice that his constituent made. It is fundamentally important that we all do everything we can, for exactly the reasons that the hon. Gentleman set out. I can assure the House that we have better arrangements for postal voting in this election than we had in previous elections. It is worth reminding the House that every member of the armed services can vote by proxy, should they so wish, and there is no doubt about that vote being registered. But as the hon. Gentleman will know, there are service personnel operating in extremely difficult and arduous circumstances in Afghanistan, often in remote areas. We are doing everything we can to get the ballot forms out as quickly as possible and back as quickly as possible. There will be a significant improvement. I cannot guarantee that every one will be able to be counted, but we are doing everything we can. For the future—this is important—we are now looking into how we can move to electronic voting for the next general election, and we want to get support for that. It is very complicated and will involve huge changes to electoral law. We want to move together on an all-party basis. This will sort the matter out once and for all, and we hope we will have the hon. Gentleman's support in doing so.
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman and I am sure the whole House wishes to express its appreciation of the sacrifice that his constituent made. It is fundamentally important that we all do everything we can, for exactly the reasons that the hon. Gentleman set out. I can assure the House that we have better arrangements for postal voting in this election than we had in previous elections. It is worth reminding the House that every member of the armed services can vote by proxy, should they so wish, and there is no doubt about that vote being registered. But as the hon. Gentleman will know, there are service personnel operating in extremely difficult and arduous circumstances in Afghanistan, often in remote areas. We are doing everything we can to get the ballot forms out as quickly as possible and back as quickly as possible. There will be a significant improvement. I cannot guarantee that every one will be able to be counted, but we are doing everything we can. For the future—this is important—we are now looking into how we can move to electronic voting for the next general election, and we want to get support for that. It is very complicated and will involve huge changes to electoral law. We want to move together on an all-party basis. This will sort the matter out once and for all, and we hope we will have the hon. Gentleman's support in doing so.
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Harper
(Conservative)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Oral answers to questions
My constituent, Corporal Stephen Thompson, who, sadly, was killed in Afghanistan a couple of weeks ago after having volunteered to serve in 3 Rifles Battle Group, was serving his country and protecting democracy in Afghanistan. It is very important, therefore, that servicemen in such a position are able to vote. The Minister said that he would put in place for this election a bespoke postal voting service. Can he assure the House that all the votes of service personnel serving in Afghanistan who use that will get back to their constituencies to count for this election? At the last election, only 28 per cent. of service personnel were able to vote.
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; General Election 2010
Date
23 March 2010
Reference
508 c116-7
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
I am extremely grateful to the hon. Lady for her kind words, but I am also particularly grateful—this is the really important point—for her agreement to work with us on a cross-party basis. We want service voters to be able to vote. It does not matter who they vote for; it is a fundamental democratic principle that those who are giving their all—and in some cases their lives—in the service of this country should be able, as far as they possibly can, to express their vote, whoever they vote for. It is wrong of her to suggest that anything sinister is going on. These are difficult and complex matters, and I have already said that we have taken a lot of steps to solve these problems. We have made considerable progress, and we are going to go on making progress.
I have said clearly that registration rates are going up—indeed, that they have gone up by 15 per cent. in the last year—and the hon. Lady must agree that that is a significant achievement by local authorities, by the Electoral Commission and by the officers and service personnel themselves, who are driving that increase. We are putting measures in place to ensure that service voters can vote as they want. That is the crucial point. She always overlooks the point that all service voters can vote by proxy, so they are not being denied a stake in the general election in this country. The question—
I am extremely grateful to the hon. Lady for her kind words, but I am also particularly grateful—this is the really important point—for her agreement to work with us on a cross-party basis. We want service voters to be able to vote. It does not matter who they vote for; it is a fundamental democratic principle that those who are giving their all—and in some cases their lives—in the service of this country should be able, as far as they possibly can, to express their vote, whoever they vote for. It is wrong of her to suggest that anything sinister is going on. These are difficult and complex matters, and I have already said that we have taken a lot of steps to solve these problems. We have made considerable progress, and we are going to go on making progress.
I have said clearly that registration rates are going up—indeed, that they have gone up by 15 per cent. in the last year—and the hon. Lady must agree that that is a significant achievement by local authorities, by the Electoral Commission and by the officers and service personnel themselves, who are driving that increase. We are putting measures in place to ensure that service voters can vote as they want. That is the crucial point. She always overlooks the point that all service voters can vote by proxy, so they are not being denied a stake in the general election in this country. The question—
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Laing of Elderslie
(Conservative)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Oral answers to questions
As the Minister has decided to leave the House at the general election, this might be the last opportunity we have to thank him for his consistent courtesy, and to pay tribute to him for his hard work, and for what I might describe as his good intentions. I am grateful to him for the letter to which he referred a moment ago, which he sent me last Thursday—and yes, I can answer that we will co-operate in a cross-party way. He says in the letter that the Government intend to launch a consultation for the next Parliament because members of the working group all agreed that concrete steps must be taken. That is a clear admission that the Government know that they have not taken sufficient steps to make sure that members of the armed forces serving our country abroad will be able to vote. I accept that the right hon. Gentleman may well have tried his best, but why do Ministers not want to hear the verdict of members of the armed forces on 13 years of Labour Government?
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; General Election 2010
Date
23 March 2010
Reference
508 c118
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
I pay tribute to the work that my hon. Friend is doing with his constituents in the armed services and their families to make sure that they can vote. It is fundamental that families serving overseas should have that facility. In answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Halton (Derek Twigg), of course local authorities have a fundamental role to play in this. We all have a role, We should do everything we can, and the Government are doing everything they can.
I pay tribute to the work that my hon. Friend is doing with his constituents in the armed services and their families to make sure that they can vote. It is fundamental that families serving overseas should have that facility. In answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Halton (Derek Twigg), of course local authorities have a fundamental role to play in this. We all have a role, We should do everything we can, and the Government are doing everything they can.
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Asked by
Brian H Donohoe
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Oral answers to questions
I congratulate my right hon. Friend on what he has done in achieving such a high return among service personnel. Does that extend to the families of personnel, many of whom are in Germany and elsewhere in the world?
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; General Election 2010
Date
23 March 2010
Reference
508 c117-8
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
Registration is the fundamental prerequisite to being able to vote, and I pay tribute to the work that my hon. Friend did when he was at the Ministry of Defence. Huge effort has gone into that, and it is working. In the past year the number of service declarations has gone up by 15 per cent., and we need to get the figure up higher. I think it will be higher by the election after next, and we will do everything we can. We have invited all hon. Members to contribute to the process, and that invitation is still extant. We want everyone to do everything possible to make sure that everyone serving in our armed services can vote.
Registration is the fundamental prerequisite to being able to vote, and I pay tribute to the work that my hon. Friend did when he was at the Ministry of Defence. Huge effort has gone into that, and it is working. In the past year the number of service declarations has gone up by 15 per cent., and we need to get the figure up higher. I think it will be higher by the election after next, and we will do everything we can. We have invited all hon. Members to contribute to the process, and that invitation is still extant. We want everyone to do everything possible to make sure that everyone serving in our armed services can vote.
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Asked by
Derek Twigg
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Oral answers to questions
When I was Under-Secretary of State for Defence, a great deal of effort went in, with the Ministry of Defence, to get as many service personnel abroad registered to vote as possible. What role are the local authorities playing, and what efforts are they putting in to ensure that as many personnel as possible are able to vote?
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; General Election 2010
Date
23 March 2010
Reference
508 c117
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects his Department to receive the report of the working group on the voting rights of members of the armed forces.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects his Department to receive the report of the working group on the voting rights of members of the armed forces.
Asked by
Baroness Laing of Elderslie
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
18 March 2010
For answer on
23 March 2010
Answered on
23 March 2010
The working group meets on a regular basis, most recently in early March. I have written to parliamentary colleagues who attended the meeting on service voting in December to give an interim update from the working group and share the group's consideration of the suggestions made at that meeting. The Government are consulting on longer term options to support service personnel and their families to vote in elections, and I have also written to opposition parties, asking that the parties sign up to the commitment to consult on a cross-party basis.
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; Voting rights
Date
23 March 2010
Reference
508 c187W; 323657
House
House of Commons
For registration, we have extended the period for service declarations to five years, and the Electoral Commission is leading a drive to increase registration, including providing bespoke registration forms for service personnel in Afghanistan. Proxy votes are available to all registered service personnel serving overseas, and we are also offering a bespoke scheme to expedite postal voting in Afghanistan. For the longer term, we are consulting on measures to provide a comprehensive solution. I have written to Opposition parties asking them to sign up to that commitment on a cross-party basis.
For registration, we have extended the period for service declarations to five years, and the Electoral Commission is leading a drive to increase registration, including providing bespoke registration forms for service personnel in Afghanistan. Proxy votes are available to all registered service personnel serving overseas, and we are also offering a bespoke scheme to expedite postal voting in Afghanistan. For the longer term, we are consulting on measures to provide a comprehensive solution. I have written to Opposition parties asking them to sign up to that commitment on a cross-party basis.
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Harper
(Conservative)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Oral answers to questions
What steps the Government are taking to ensure that service personnel serving abroad will be able to vote in the forthcoming general election.
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; General Election 2010
Date
23 March 2010
Reference
508 c116
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
For registration, we have extended the period for service declarations to five years, and the Electoral Commission is leading a drive to increase registration, including providing bespoke registration forms for service personnel in Afghanistan. Proxy votes are available to all registered service personnel serving overseas, and we are also offering a bespoke scheme to expedite postal voting in Afghanistan. For the longer term, we are consulting on measures to provide a comprehensive solution. I have written to Opposition parties asking them to sign up to that commitment on a cross-party basis.
For registration, we have extended the period for service declarations to five years, and the Electoral Commission is leading a drive to increase registration, including providing bespoke registration forms for service personnel in Afghanistan. Proxy votes are available to all registered service personnel serving overseas, and we are also offering a bespoke scheme to expedite postal voting in Afghanistan. For the longer term, we are consulting on measures to provide a comprehensive solution. I have written to Opposition parties asking them to sign up to that commitment on a cross-party basis.
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Oral answers to questions
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; General Election 2010
Date
23 March 2010
Reference
508 c116
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
What steps the Government are taking to ensure that service personnel serving abroad will be able to vote in the forthcoming general election.
What steps the Government are taking to ensure that service personnel serving abroad will be able to vote in the forthcoming general election.
Asked by
James Duddridge
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Tabled on
17 March 2010
For answer on
23 March 2010
Answered on
23 March 2010
For registration, we have extended the period for service declarations to five years, and the Electoral Commission is leading a drive to increase registration, including providing bespoke registration forms for service personnel in Afghanistan. Proxy votes are available to all registered service personnel serving overseas, and we are also offering a bespoke scheme to expedite postal voting in Afghanistan. For the longer term, we are consulting on measures to provide a comprehensive solution. I have written to Opposition parties asking them to sign up to that commitment on a cross-party basis.
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; General Election 2010
Date
23 March 2010
Reference
508 c116; 323388
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
What steps the Government are taking to ensure that service personnel serving abroad will be able to vote in the forthcoming general election.
What steps the Government are taking to ensure that service personnel serving abroad will be able to vote in the forthcoming general election.
Asked by
Lord Harper
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Tabled on
17 March 2010
For answer on
23 March 2010
Answered on
23 March 2010
For registration, we have extended the period for service declarations to five years, and the Electoral Commission is leading a drive to increase registration, including providing bespoke registration forms for service personnel in Afghanistan. Proxy votes are available to all registered service personnel serving overseas, and we are also offering a bespoke scheme to expedite postal voting in Afghanistan. For the longer term, we are consulting on measures to provide a comprehensive solution. I have written to Opposition parties asking them to sign up to that commitment on a cross-party basis.
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; General Election 2010
Date
23 March 2010
Reference
508 c116; 323394
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which provisions of the (a) Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, (b) Electoral Administration Act 2006 and (c) Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 have not yet commenced; and for what reasons in each case.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which provisions of the (a) Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, (b) Electoral Administration Act 2006 and (c) Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 have not yet commenced; and for what reasons in each case.
Asked by
Lord Jackson of Peterborough
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
24 February 2010
For answer on
26 February 2010
Answered on
3 March 2010
I have provided a table which gives detail of the provisions that have not yet commenced, and the reasons for that, for the (a) Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, (b) Electoral Administration Act 2006 and (c) Political Parties and Elections Act 2009.
| Section | Description | Reason why not yet in force |
| Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 | ||
| 6(l)(c) | Review of electoral and political matters (redistribution of Parliamentary seats) | The Government accepted the recommendation of the Committee on Standards in Public Life's Eleventh Report, 'Review of the Electoral Commission', that the Electoral Commission should no longer have any involvement in electoral boundary matters and the provisions in PPERA to allow the transfer of boundary setting functions to the Commission should be repealed. Subsequently, the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 repealed these provisions and removes from the Electoral Commission functions relating to boundary and electoral changes |
| 14 and Schedule 3 | Boundary Committees, Transfer of Functions of Boundary Commissions | |
| 17 | Transfer of property etc of Boundary Commissions | |
| Schedule 21, paragraph 6(3),6(4),6(7)(l)(a),7 | Minor and consequential amendments | Will be commenced at an appropriate time taking account of status of accounts from previous elections and allowing time for other changes contained in the EAA 2006 to bed in |
| Electoral Administration Act 2006 | ||
| 1(2) and (5),2(2),(4)(9)-(12),5(10),7 | CORE scheme | The CORE project has been paused to allow policy on individual electoral registration to develop first (individual registration may change the requirements for CORE and the context in which it is developed) |
| 31(4) (as it relates to rule37(l)(d) schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983) | Replacement of counterfoils (procedure on close of poll) | Section 31 is commenced, except to the extent that it relates to sub-paragraph (d) of paragraph (1) of rule 37 of the parliamentary election rules, which remains under consideration |
| 42-44 (as they relate to local government elections and authority elections as defined in section 203 of the Representation of the People Act 1983) | Control of documents after parliamentary election; access to election documents | Section 41 was commenced 1 January 2007. Policy changes in relation to election documents in Scotland, and secondary legislation, mean the commencement of sections 42 to 44 is, for the time being, unnecessary |
| 59 | Reporting donations to holders of certain elective offices | Commenced 1 July 2009 (so far as relates to a Member of the House of Commons). Otherwise under consideration |
| 61(1)(2-4)(5)(6) | Regulation of loans etc. | Commenced 11 September 2006 (England, Wales, Scotland); 1 January 2007 (England, Wales, Scotland); 1 July 2008 (Northern Ireland) except so far as applies to minor parties within meaning of PPERA 2000 s160. The position of minor parties (i.e. those which do not seek to field candidates in parliamentary or local authority elections) remains under review |
| Schedule 1, Part 5, (75(1) amended rule 37 of the parliamentary rules set out in Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983) | Amendments (Signing in Polling stations) | Remains under consideration in particular in the context of wider reforms to electoral registration |
| Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 | ||
| 1(2),2,3(1),(3),(4),8, Schedules 1 and 2 | Compliance with controls imposed by the 2000 Act etc; Investigatory powers of Commission; Civil Sanctions; Education about systems of government and EU institutions | The Electoral Commission's new powers will be commenced with effect from 1 July 2010. A statutory instrument supporting the civil sanctioning powers must be approved before section 3 and schedule 2 can be commenced |
| 6 | Number of Electoral Commissioners | The Speaker's Committee is considering proposed nominated Commissioners from party leaders. The provision will be commenced once the appointment process is complete |
| 9-11 and Schedules 3 and 4 | Declaration as to source of donation; Non-resident donors etc; Non-resident lenders etc. | As set out in the written ministerial statement of 24 November 2009, Official Report, columns 68-70'WS: "Officials have begun preliminary work on the prerequisites to implementation of these provisions. However, as stated during consideration of Lords Amendments to the Bill, we are practically unable to commence Sections 10 and 11 before the summer of 2010 due to their complex nature. Section 9, which requires donors to provide declarations as to the true origins of all donations of over £7,500, will be commenced alongside Sections 10 and 11 to ensure consistency in approach, which will be welcomed by those who make political donations, as well as parties and other recipients who will have to ensure that they comply with the additional declaration requirement." |
| 25 | Disposal of election documents in Scotland | Planned for commencement with effect from 1 July 2010 |
| 27 | Returning officers for elections to the European Parliament | The intention is to commence this provision in due course in time for implementation ahead of the next scheduled European Parliamentary elections in 2014 |
| 28-29 | CORE keeper | The CORE project has been paused to allow policy on individual electoral registration to develop first (individual registration may change the requirements for CORE and the context in which it is developed) |
| 30,31,35,36 | Electoral registration: Voluntary provision of identifying information; Regulations amending or supplementing section 30; Schemes for provision of data to registration officers; Schemes under section 35: proposals, consultation and evaluation | The timetable for the introduction of individual electoral registration remains as set out during the parliamentary passage of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009. During Commons Consideration of Lords Amendments on 13 July 2009, Official Report, column 99, Michael Wills said: "Our approach to individual registration is to move in two phases: a voluntary phase and a compulsory phase…The voluntary phase will not commence before July 2010...and will not finish before 2014. That period will enable us to be fully confident that the system is ready before we move to the compulsory phase...It will enable us to prepare the public for the change, and to take steps to bolster registration rates in the meantime. That will be fundamental to protecting the system against the risk of a drop in the numbers registered." A project has been established to design and implement processes for the collection and storage of personal identifiers in the voluntary phase of individual electoral registration. |
| 32(1)-(5)-(11) | Report by Electoral Commission on provision of identifying information | This section can only be commenced once sections 30 and 31 have come into force |
| 33 and 34 | Obligatory provision of identifying information (and provision supplementing 33) | The commencement of this section is linked to the annual reports produced by the Electoral Commission under section 32. Upon a positive recommendation being made by the Electoral Commission in 2014 the commencement of sections 33 and 34 will need to be debated and approved by both Houses. |
| Minor and consequential amendments | The commencement of relevant minor and consequential amendments is dependant on commencement of other sections of the Act and will be brought forward as appropriate | |
| Repeals |
Corrected?
Yes
Notes
Letter of correction printed 10 March 2010 (507 5-10MC)
Subjects
Elections; Political parties
Date
3 March 2010
Reference
506 c1246-51W (507 5-10MC); 319612
House
House of Commons
Ending re-registration altogether would create inaccuracies in the register. However, the Government recognise the need to respond to the special circumstances of service voters. That is why we have laid before Parliament an order that extends the declaration period for service voters from three to five years, and why we are taking forward further measures to help service voters to register to vote and, indeed, to vote.
Ending re-registration altogether would create inaccuracies in the register. However, the Government recognise the need to respond to the special circumstances of service voters. That is why we have laid before Parliament an order that extends the declaration period for service voters from three to five years, and why we are taking forward further measures to help service voters to register to vote and, indeed, to vote.
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Robathan
(Conservative)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Oral answers to questions
What assessment he has made of the merits of ending the re-registration requirement for service voters.
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; Electoral register
Date
9 February 2010
Reference
505 c743
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his interest in the matter. He brings a lot of experience to it, and I am grateful to him. I agree with him entirely: it is crucial that those who are prepared to make such sacrifices for their country should be able to have that important say in the future of their country. There is no question about that. I will of course take into consideration what he has said. We have set up a working party, with Ministry of Defence officials, Ministry of Justice officials, and representatives of the families and the armed services, to see how we can achieve long-term solutions to what is a difficult problem.
I very much welcome the hon. Gentleman's suggestion. I promise him that we will take it forward and have a look at it. I know that he will agree with me and would not want to recreate the sort of inaccuracies that were in the register before 2000. However, I can reassure him that we are making efforts to ensure that our servicemen in Afghanistan in particular are enabled to register to vote in the forthcoming election, and then able to vote. The proxy vote system is available to everybody. We are trying to expedite postal voting for service personnel as well, and we will be announcing measures to that end shortly.
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his interest in the matter. He brings a lot of experience to it, and I am grateful to him. I agree with him entirely: it is crucial that those who are prepared to make such sacrifices for their country should be able to have that important say in the future of their country. There is no question about that. I will of course take into consideration what he has said. We have set up a working party, with Ministry of Defence officials, Ministry of Justice officials, and representatives of the families and the armed services, to see how we can achieve long-term solutions to what is a difficult problem.
I very much welcome the hon. Gentleman's suggestion. I promise him that we will take it forward and have a look at it. I know that he will agree with me and would not want to recreate the sort of inaccuracies that were in the register before 2000. However, I can reassure him that we are making efforts to ensure that our servicemen in Afghanistan in particular are enabled to register to vote in the forthcoming election, and then able to vote. The proxy vote system is available to everybody. We are trying to expedite postal voting for service personnel as well, and we will be announcing measures to that end shortly.
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Robathan
(Conservative)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Oral answers to questions
Before the last general election I took this matter up because I discovered that there were shamefully low levels of service voter registration. I welcome what the Government have said. I last had a meeting with the Electoral Commission in, I think, October, when we discussed this. I am sure that, like me, the Minister wishes to make it as easy as possible for people fighting—and possibly dying—in places such as Afghanistan to be able to vote. May I therefore urge him to reconsider so that perhaps people could register as service voters when they join the forces, as I did, and then de-register when they leave? That would be very easy: it worked in those days, and I managed to vote Conservative throughout those days as well.
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; Electoral register
Date
9 February 2010
Reference
505 c743
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
What assessment he has made of the merits of ending the re-registration requirement for service voters.
What assessment he has made of the merits of ending the re-registration requirement for service voters.
Asked by
Lord Robathan
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Tabled on
3 February 2010
For answer on
9 February 2010
Answered on
9 February 2010
Ending re-registration altogether would create inaccuracies in the register. However, the Government recognise the need to respond to the special circumstances of service voters. That is why we have laid before Parliament an order that extends the declaration period for service voters from three to five years, and why we are taking forward further measures to help service voters to register to vote and, indeed, to vote.
Subjects
Armed forces; Elections; Electoral register
Date
9 February 2010
Reference
505 c743; 316133
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
House
House of Commons
Westminster hall adjournment debate on the accountability of returning officers.
Westminster hall adjournment debate on the accountability of returning officers.
Lead member
David Wilshire
Answering member
Lord Wills
Department
Ministry of Justice
Type
Adjournment debates
Subjects
Accountability; Elections; Returning officers
Date
3 February 2010
Reference
505 c73-98WH
Chamber / Committee
Westminster Hall
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment has been made of the potential effect on levels of electoral fraud of general election counts taking place the day after polling.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment has been made of the potential effect on levels of electoral fraud of general election counts taking place the day after polling.
Asked by
Lord Pickles
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
15 December 2009
For answer on
5 January 2010
Answered on
12 January 2010
Under section 10 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, the Electoral Commission is responsible for producing advice and guidance for electoral administrators to follow at UK parliamentary elections. The Electoral Commission has issued advice for (acting) returning officers that security procedures must be in place for the storage of ballot boxes and the ballot papers, where there is a break in proceedings or where they have decided to count on Friday. The decision as to the timing of the count at an election is for the relevant returning officer.Under section 5 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, the Electoral Commission is required to produce a report on the administration of each general election in the UK. The Government will study this carefully and respond to any issues that emerge.
Subjects
Elections
Date
12 January 2010
Reference
503 c923-4W; 308305
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps have been taken to encourage 18 to 24 year-olds to vote in the next general election.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps have been taken to encourage 18 to 24 year-olds to vote in the next general election.
Asked by
William Cash
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
5 January 2010
For answer on
7 January 2010
Answered on
12 January 2010
Section 69 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 places local electoral officers under a duty to encourage participation at statutory elections. The Government have established the Electoral Participation Fund to support electoral officers undertaking novel and innovative projects, including activities to support the participation of young people.In addition, under section 13 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, the Electoral Commission has a statutory responsibility to run public awareness campaigns to promote voter registration and to provide information on electoral events. I have been informed by the Electoral Commission that they will be running a public awareness campaign in the lead up to the next general election to encourage people to register to vote. By selecting particular media channels, the campaign will be targeted at groups less likely to be on the electoral register, particularly 18 to 24 year-olds. The campaign will include television, radio and press advertising, along with work on social networking websites. Through its partnership grants programme, the Electoral Commission has also funded other organisations working to increase democratic participation among young people, including Banardos, the Prince's Trust and UK Youth Parliament.
Subjects
Elections; Young people
Date
12 January 2010
Reference
503 c927W; 309860
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will undertake an impact assessment in respect of the implementation of proposals to conduct the counting of all votes in the general election on the day after polling.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will undertake an impact assessment in respect of the implementation of proposals to conduct the counting of all votes in the general election on the day after polling.
Asked by
Lord Pickles
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
15 December 2009
For answer on
5 January 2010
Answered on
11 January 2010
The decision as to the timing of the count at an election is for the relevant returning officer. Under section 5 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, the Electoral Commission is required to produce a report on the administration of each general election in the UK. The Government will study the commission's report carefully and respond to any issues that emerge. The Government have no plans to undertake any separate assessment in respect of the conduct of counts at the next UK parliamentary general election.
Subjects
Elections
Date
11 January 2010
Reference
503 c789W; 308327
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals on (a) voting age, (b) a referendum on using the alternative vote for elections to the House of Commons and (c) voting rights for prisoners.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals on (a) voting age, (b) a referendum on using the alternative vote for elections to the House of Commons and (c) voting rights for prisoners.
Asked by
Lord Pickles
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
15 December 2009
For answer on
5 January 2010
Answered on
6 January 2010
I can confirm that (a) the Government are considering the recommendations made by the Youth Citizenship Commission in relation to lowering the voting age but has no current plans to legislate, (b) the Prime Minister has set out our commitment to a referendum being held early in the next Parliament for the people to decide whether they want to move to the Alternative Vote system for elections to the House of Commons, for which legislation will be required and (c) the Government are carefully analysing the responses to the second stage consultation on the voting rights of prisoners detained in the UK and will consider the next steps once this has concluded.
Subjects
Elections
Date
6 January 2010
Reference
503 c433W; 308326
House
House of Commons