1-2 of 2 results for subject:Elections
Librarians' tools
- Search time
- 0.183 seconds
- Solr query time
- 0.004 seconds
- Search query
- subject:Elections
- We searched for
- subject_t:Elections OR subject_ses:91071
Type
House
Session
Year
Department
Member
Primary member
More
Roberts of Llandudno, Lord (2)
Answering member
Legislative stage
Legislation
Subject
Publisher
My Lords, I appreciate what the Minister says but perhaps I may quote from a letter of 20 November that was sent out to post offices: "““As you will be aware, the closure of any Post Office can be highly sensitive and can potentially become a local political issue. For that reason, we have been asked by Government””—"
I emphasise, asked by the Government— "““to introduce a freeze on some elements of the Network Change Programme during the run up to these elections””."
Is that not government intrusion into the ordinary running of elections in the United Kingdom? Is it not a deliberate ploy to hide the bad news—the truth—until it is too late for the electors to do anything about it?
My Lords, I appreciate what the Minister says but perhaps I may quote from a letter of 20 November that was sent out to post offices: "““As you will be aware, the closure of any Post Office can be highly sensitive and can potentially become a local political issue. For that reason, we have been asked by Government””—"
I emphasise, asked by the Government— "““to introduce a freeze on some elements of the Network Change Programme during the run up to these elections””."
Is that not government intrusion into the ordinary running of elections in the United Kingdom? Is it not a deliberate ploy to hide the bad news—the truth—until it is too late for the electors to do anything about it?
Asked by
Lord Roberts of Llandudno
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
17 December 2007
My Lords, I am very surprised that the noble Lord should consider that to be the case. I shall quote, in my turn, from the guidelines: "““If a consultation is ongoing at the time an election is called, it should continue as normal””."
However, care should be taken to avoid taking action during election periods, "““that will compete with … candidates for the … attention””"
of the public. That effectively means not undertaking publicity or consultation events, "““for those consultations that are still in process””."
In answer to the noble Lord’s second question, no, it is not a case of suppressing bad news. In fact, the plan for London has been brought forward so that the proposals there will now be published before the moratorium on new consultation starts. They were planned to be published during the purdah period but now they will be produced early. That is hardly suppressing bad news.
Subjects
Closures; Elections; Local government; Public participation; Post offices
Date
17 December 2007
Reference
697 c470
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
Whether they were consulted by the Post Office on its recent statement that no post office closure decisions will be made before the local elections on 1 May 2008, and whether they support it.
Whether they were consulted by the Post Office on its recent statement that no post office closure decisions will be made before the local elections on 1 May 2008, and whether they support it.
Asked by
Lord Roberts of Llandudno
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
For answer on
17 December 2007
Answered on
17 December 2007
My Lords, Cabinet Office guidelines clearly state that consultations should not be launched and decisions relating to them announced in an election period. Successive Administrations of both parties have observed those arrangements for many years. The application of the guidelines will have limited impact on the start of public consultations and announcements of decisions as they will relate only to those that would otherwise have been made in the three-week period preceding the local elections on 1 May 2008.
Subjects
Closures; Elections; Local government; Public participation; Post offices
Date
17 December 2007
Reference
697 c469-70
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords