Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the appointment of Lindy Cameron as a new Director General at the Northern Ireland Office was a Foreign and Commonwealth Office initiative; what discussions they had with the government of the Republic of Ireland prior to that appointment; and whether they will place a non-redacted copy of the mission-statement for that post in the Library of the House.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The appointment of a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary of the Northern Ireland Office was a Northern Ireland Office initiative, made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and with established protocols for Senior Civil Service appointments at this grade. This appointment was approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 3 July 2017 (HL3), 15 September 2017 (HL1448), and 13 October 2017 (HL1671), and by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 21 December 2017 (HL3975), 16 March 2018 (HL6045), 20 November 2018 (HL11393 and HL11394), and 17 May (HL15556), what has been the total number of criminal charges for electoral abuse in (1) Northern Ireland, and (2) elsewhere in the UK, since 2010.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office holds data for the outcomes of crimes recorded by police forces in England and Wales.
Since 2010 there have been 231 known recorded charges for the Home Office criminal offence codes which cover crimes related to electoral abuse.
This does not include offences of tampering with nomination or ballot papers which cannot be separately identified in the data held centrally.
As policing is a devolved matter, data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not held by the Home Office.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 3 July 2017 (HL3), 15 September 2017 (HL1448), and 13 October 2017 (HL1671), and by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 21 December 2017 (HL3975), 16 March 2018 (HL6045), 20 November 2018 (HL11393 and HL11394), and 17 May (HL15556), what assessment they have made of whether there was any abuse of the electoral system in the conduct of the by-election for Peterborough on 6 June; and if there was any such abuse, what assessment they have made of whether this is part of a wider pattern of abuse of the electoral system.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
We take the security and integrity of our democratic processes very seriously.
The running of polls is a matter for independent returning officers, not the Government. The Electoral Commission engage with the returning officers, electoral staff and registered parties providing assistance in disseminating information and advice to individuals delivering or participating in elections.
We have processes in place to defend against electoral fraud. There is ongoing work with electoral administrators to ensure our elections remain secure and robust, both now and in the future. Measures like voter ID are the latest in our efforts to respect, protect and promote our democracy.
Where abuse of the electoral system is alleged, it is for the Electoral Commission or Police to investigate such claims.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the number of (1) electors, (2) postal votes cast, and (3) proxy votes applied for, in the Peterborough constituency for (a) the general election in 2010 and (b) the by-election on 6 June.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
Data on the number of electors, postal votes cast, and proxy votes applied for in general elections or by-elections are not collected by the Government.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 3 July 2017 (HL3), 15 September 2017 (HL1448), and 13 October 2017 (HL1671), and by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 21 December 2017 (HL3975), 16 March 2018 (HL6045), 20 November 2018 (HL11393 and HL11394), and 17 May (HL15556), what plans they have to introduce legislation to prevent any abuse of the electoral system in the UK.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
On 5th May the Minister for the Constitution announced a range of new measures to safeguard UK elections by cracking down on intimidation, influence and disinformation.
As part of that, the Government has committed to: legislating for a new electoral offence of intimidation; clarifying the electoral offence of undue influence of a voter; implementing an imprints regime for digital election material; and launching a consultation on electoral integrity. Before formally launching the consultation, the Government will be inviting the views of interested groups to establish what the consultation could seek to address, and also see what scope there is for broad cross-party agreement.
Any legislative changes relating to issues or specific cases in Northern Ireland would, however, be a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they made of the operation of the senior management team in the Northern Ireland Office before creating the new Director General post; for what reasons they established the Director General post; and what is the overall cost, including salaries, of the senior management team at the Northern Ireland Office.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Northern Ireland Office appointed a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary at a challenging time for Northern Ireland and the wider UK. The appointment was made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish a detailed job description for the Director General of the Northern Ireland Office and their annual salary.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Northern Ireland Office appointed a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary at a challenging time for Northern Ireland and the wider UK. The appointment was made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consulted the government of the Republic of Ireland on the appointment of the new Director General of the Northern Ireland Office; and which UK political parties, if any, they consulted.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Northern Ireland Office appointed a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary at a challenging time for Northern Ireland and the wider UK. The appointment was made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the business case for appointing a new Director General in the Northern Ireland Office; who approved the business case; and to whom the Director General will report.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Northern Ireland Office appointed a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary at a challenging time for Northern Ireland and the wider UK. The appointment was made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the process for the appointment of a new Director General in the Northern Ireland Office; and what was the cost of that process.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Northern Ireland Office appointed a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary at a challenging time for Northern Ireland and the wider UK. The appointment was made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.