Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on which dates in the last five years the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland held briefings about developments and policy in the province; and who attended each of those meetings.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland holds a range of meetings on developments and policy, including regular events for Parliamentarians with an interest in Northern affairs.
External meetings are published on the Northern Ireland Office website, which can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/northern-ireland-office.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the Belfast Agreement ensures equality between the Irish and Ulster Scots languages.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Belfast Agreement recognised the importance of respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity, including the Irish language and Ulster Scots.
The Government is fully committed to the Belfast Agreement.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
Her Majesty's Government how many proxy votes were (1) applied for, and (2) granted, in each Northern Ireland constituency in (a) the 2015 general election, (b) the 2017 general election, (c) the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election, and (d) the 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland does not have a readily accessible record of the number of proxy votes applied for the 2015 Parliamentary election, or the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in 2016 and 2017. It would not be possible to provide the information for the number of proxy votes applied for at any election, other than the 2017 UK Parliamentary General Election, other than at disproportionate cost. The number of proxy votes granted in each of the elections requested are set out below.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
Her Majesty's Government How many EU nationals, other than Irish, Cypriot, Maltese and UK citizens, are on the electoral register in Northern Ireland, broken down by constituency; what is the distinction between the G and K markings placed against EU citizens on the electoral register; and what are the differences in the eligibility to vote between such EU nationals and UK citizens.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The G markings placed against EU citizens on the electoral register denotes their eligibility to vote at local and Assembly elections. The K marking denotes an EU citizen who has confirmed that they intend to vote in Northern Ireland, rather than their home state, at a specific European Parliamentary election. The K designation only lasts for one year and consequently there are currently no individuals with a K marking on the Northern Ireland register.
UK, Irish and Commonwealth citizens are eligible to register to vote in UK General Parliamentary Elections. Citizens of EU countries other than the UK, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta (the latter of which are Commonwealth as well as EU countries) cannot vote in UK General Parliamentary Elections, although they can register to vote at local government, and Northern Ireland Assembly elections.
The number of EU nationals, other than Irish, Cypriot, Maltese and UK citizens, on the electoral register are shown below.
Constituency | EU nationals on the electoral register (other than Irish, Cypriot, Maltese and UK citizens) |
Belfast East | 1943 |
Belfast North | 1617 |
Belfast South | 2857 |
Belfast West | 462 |
East Antrim | 597 |
East Londonderry | 1044 |
Fermanagh & South Tyrone | 3801 |
Foyle | 636 |
Lagan Valley | 1330 |
Mid Ulster | 1919 |
Newry & Armagh | 3017 |
North Antrim | 1928 |
North Down | 708 |
South Antrim | 1233 |
South Down | 1165 |
Strangford | 591 |
Upper Bann | 4563 |
West Tyrone | 1114 |
Total | 30,525 |
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
Her Majesty's Government what methods are used by the Electoral Office in Northern Ireland to ascertain (1) whether someone applying for a proxy vote is a close relation of the voter, and (2) the validity of proxy vote applications.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Any individual wishing to appoint a proxy to vote in their place must complete an application form providing all the personal details given at registration, including their national insurance number and signature, which are checked against the register. Only those applications passing scrutiny are accepted.
Voters are required to state the nature of their relationship to the individual they are nominating as their proxy and all forms contain the warning that making a false statement is a criminal offense. Written confirmation of successful applications is sent to both the applicant and the registered proxy at their registered addresses.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
Her Majesty's Government how many of the proxy votes granted in Northern Ireland in the 2017 general election were applied for by (1) someone who was a close relative of the elector, and (2) a non–relative; how a close relative is defined for the purposes of the proxy vote system; and whether the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland has a computer system able to record and statistically analyse that data.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Proxy votes must be applied for by the individual themselves; it is not possible for any other person to apply on their behalf. Under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act 1985, a person is not entitled to vote as proxy at the same parliamentary election in any constituency on behalf of more than two electors for whom that person is not the spouse or civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or grandchild. The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland does not keep a record of the relationships between the registered voter and their successfully appointed proxy.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
Her Majesty's Government how many people are registered to vote in more than one constituency in Northern Ireland; and, in relation to each constituency in Northern Ireland, how many people are also registered to vote in one or more other constituency.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The total number of registered electors in Northern Ireland registered to vote in more than one constituency is 23.
The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland holds data in relation to each constituency on how many people are also registered to vote in another constituency. In some constituencies this applies to fewer than five people. A full answer would risk the identification of individuals and is therefore not provided.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to require those voting by proxy to provide their national insurance number, in order to facilitate checks that proxies are not voting on behalf of more than two close relatives.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Individuals are entitled to vote as a proxy for an unlimited number of close relatives but may not vote as proxy at the same election in any constituency on behalf of more than two electors to whom they are not a closely related.
The administration of proxy voting is an operational matter for the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland who will, following the Parliamentary election in June, conduct a routine post-election review of all administrative procedures. The Government will carefully consider any recommendations it receives concerning proxy voting from both the independent Electoral Commission as well as from the Chief Electoral Officer. The Government will also consider what, if any, of the changes recommended by Sir Eric Pickles in his report on tackling electoral fraud may also be appropriate for Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 24 March (HL6168) concerning undertakings given to the government of the Republic of Ireland that direct-rule would not be imposed as part of the current discussions, whether they can confirm that no agreement on the imposition of direct rule was made.
Answered by Lord Dunlop
The UK Government is focused on securing the resumption of devolved government in Northern Ireland. We do not want to see a return to direct rule. If talks between the parties fail in their objectives, however, we will have to consider all options, as it is the UK Government which is ultimately responsible for political stability and good governance in Northern Ireland. We have made no agreements about the imposition of direct rule with the Irish Government.