Oral Answers to Questions

Gary Streeter Excerpts

Thursday 19th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)]

3. What the (a) income and (b) expenditure was of the Electoral Commission in the last year.

[Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon)]

The Electoral Commission’s audited report and accounts for the last financial year showed a net operating expenditure of £21.6 million and capital expenditure of £1.6 million. All expenditure was financed by income from the Consolidated Fund. The commission also received income of £148,000 from political parties, arising from registration fees and penalties for failure to comply with the rules on party and election finance.

[Mr Bone]

I am grateful for that reply in which we heard that £21 million is being spent. Does the Electoral Commission really need seven executives earning at a rate of more than £90,000 a year? Should there not be some cutbacks there?

[Mr Streeter]

My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that the Electoral Commission will be reducing its core costs by 30% between now and 2014-15. The Speaker’s Committee takes this issue extremely seriously, and it is delighted that the Electoral Commission has come forward with a number of cost-saving measures. It is determined to deliver them and it will deliver them.

[Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton) (Lab/Co-op)]

In light of the recent Electoral Commission report on registration, which showed a much larger number of unregistered people throughout the country, what consideration is being given to strengthening the Electoral Commission’s role to ensure that that does not deteriorate in future years?

[Mr Streeter]

The hon. Gentleman raises a very important point. As he knows, the primary responsibility for electoral registration rests with electoral registration officers. The Electoral Commission has made a number of representations to the Government for enhanced powers to intervene and direct where electoral registration officers are not coming up to the standards that we believe are appropriate in a locality.

The hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon)]

The Electoral Commission’s research has identified some categories of people who are less likely to be registered, including those in private rented accommodation, those who have recently moved house, those aged 18 to 35, and certain minority ethnic groups. The commission directs its public awareness activities towards those groups. However, it encourages not just electoral registration officers but all colleagues who take a close interest in the matter to do all that they can to deal with the issue of low voter registration.

[Mr Buckland]

We in Swindon are lucky enough to have dedicated electoral registration officers, but performance across the country is patchy. We have been hearing of the possibility of enhanced powers for the Electoral Commission. How quickly can those powers be awarded in order to ensure that we obtain the highest possible level of electoral registration throughout the country?

[Mr Streeter]

My hon. Friend has raised an important point. As he says, the performance of electoral registration officers around the country can be patchy. The Electoral Commission works with EROs up and down the land to try to improve their performance, but the process would be enhanced if the Government gave the commission additional powers. When that will happen lies in the hands of the Government, but I am sure that Ministers have listened carefully to this exchange of views.

The hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—