Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord True on 3 September (HL Deb, col 500), what plans they have to ensure that electoral registration forms are designed as effectively as possible using standards of best practice to increase the rate of return; and what steps they are taking to ensure that such forms, and any accompanying letters, consistently draw prominent attention to the legal requirements to comply with the registration process with reference to the appropriate maximum fines or penalties.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the statutory responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers for their areas. The Government’s role is to ensure EROs have the tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. This includes, for example, the recent changes to the annual canvass in Great Britain which will improve its overall efficiency considerably which will allow EROs to focus their efforts on hard to reach groups, and play an important role in helping to maintain register accuracy and completeness.
As it stands, National Insurance Number letters issued by HM Revenue and Customs state that you need your National Insurance Number to register to vote. Cabinet Office officials are in discussions with colleagues in HMRC regarding what further information could be included to help inform individuals about the registration process, and if it may be clarified.
The Government is committed to making registration as easy as possible and we encourage everyone who is eligible to register to vote.
Responsibility for the design of electoral registration forms, including the Invitation to Register form and all Canvass Communications lies with the Electoral Commission, with the Government providing final approval. The Electoral Commission undertakes extensive user testing of the forms to ensure they are as effective as possible at eliciting the appropriate response. Cabinet Office officials are regularly consulted by the Electoral Commission during the design stages of any new forms and also when changes are proposed to existing forms.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult with (a) Operation Black Vote, and (b) representatives of communities under represented on electoral registers, about ways (1) to increase representation on the electoral register, (2) to encourage participation in elections, (3) to increase social mobility through the availability of credit to those on the electoral register, and (4) to help to make juries, drawn from the electoral register, more representative.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the statutory responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers for their areas. The Government’s role is to ensure EROs have the tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. This includes, for example, the recent changes to the annual canvass in Great Britain which will improve its overall efficiency considerably which will allow EROs to focus their efforts on hard to reach groups, and play an important role in helping to maintain register accuracy and completeness.
As it stands, National Insurance Number letters issued by HM Revenue and Customs state that you need your National Insurance Number to register to vote. Cabinet Office officials are in discussions with colleagues in HMRC regarding what further information could be included to help inform individuals about the registration process, and if it may be clarified.
The Government is committed to making registration as easy as possible and we encourage everyone who is eligible to register to vote.
Responsibility for the design of electoral registration forms, including the Invitation to Register form and all Canvass Communications lies with the Electoral Commission, with the Government providing final approval. The Electoral Commission undertakes extensive user testing of the forms to ensure they are as effective as possible at eliciting the appropriate response. Cabinet Office officials are regularly consulted by the Electoral Commission during the design stages of any new forms and also when changes are proposed to existing forms.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord True on 26 November (HL Deb, col 397), what plans they have to provide a link to the online electoral registration process to those people provided with National Insurance numbers over the last two years in time for those people to register in time for the elections scheduled in May 2021; and what assessment they have made of the impact of such provision on the registration levels for that group.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the statutory responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers for their areas. The Government’s role is to ensure EROs have the tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. This includes, for example, the recent changes to the annual canvass in Great Britain which will improve its overall efficiency considerably which will allow EROs to focus their efforts on hard to reach groups, and play an important role in helping to maintain register accuracy and completeness.
As it stands, National Insurance Number letters issued by HM Revenue and Customs state that you need your National Insurance Number to register to vote. Cabinet Office officials are in discussions with colleagues in HMRC regarding what further information could be included to help inform individuals about the registration process, and if it may be clarified.
The Government is committed to making registration as easy as possible and we encourage everyone who is eligible to register to vote.
Responsibility for the design of electoral registration forms, including the Invitation to Register form and all Canvass Communications lies with the Electoral Commission, with the Government providing final approval. The Electoral Commission undertakes extensive user testing of the forms to ensure they are as effective as possible at eliciting the appropriate response. Cabinet Office officials are regularly consulted by the Electoral Commission during the design stages of any new forms and also when changes are proposed to existing forms.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord True on 26 November (HL Deb, col 397), what plans they have to ensure the provision of a link to the online electoral registration process in their electronic and other communications notifying people of their National Insurance numbers; and what steps they intend to take to consult with (1) the Electoral Commission, (2) Electoral Registration Officers, and (3) others, about the best ways of using such a process to improve the completeness of the electoral registers, without reducing accuracy, in a cost effective manner.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the statutory responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers for their areas. The Government’s role is to ensure EROs have the tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. This includes, for example, the recent changes to the annual canvass in Great Britain which will improve its overall efficiency considerably which will allow EROs to focus their efforts on hard to reach groups, and play an important role in helping to maintain register accuracy and completeness.
As it stands, National Insurance Number letters issued by HM Revenue and Customs state that you need your National Insurance Number to register to vote. Cabinet Office officials are in discussions with colleagues in HMRC regarding what further information could be included to help inform individuals about the registration process, and if it may be clarified.
The Government is committed to making registration as easy as possible and we encourage everyone who is eligible to register to vote.
Responsibility for the design of electoral registration forms, including the Invitation to Register form and all Canvass Communications lies with the Electoral Commission, with the Government providing final approval. The Electoral Commission undertakes extensive user testing of the forms to ensure they are as effective as possible at eliciting the appropriate response. Cabinet Office officials are regularly consulted by the Electoral Commission during the design stages of any new forms and also when changes are proposed to existing forms.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case to consider changes to electoral arrangements for elections to be held in May 2021; what consultations they intend to hold with the Electoral Commission and others about any such arrangements; and what plans they have, if any, to change requirements so (1) nomination papers require only two signatures, and (2) that nominations may be accepted by email.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Further to the answer I have already given to PQ HL10099, the Government is working with the electoral administrators and Public Health England to identify and resolve challenges involved in delivering the May 2021 elections, including ensuring polling stations are safe and covid-secure places to vote. People will be able participate in the polls safely, and in a way of their choice, whether by post, proxy or in-person.
This was outlined in the Minister for the Constitution and Devolution’s letter to Electoral Returning Officers, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-chloe-smith-mp-to-returning-officers
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timetable for the next parliamentary boundary reorganisation process under the 2011 Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act; what is the estimated cost for completing the work to be undertaken by the four Boundary Commissions under present legislation; and what plans they have to suspend the process.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Under existing legislation (Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 as amended by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011), the next UK parliamentary boundary review is due to begin in early 2021 and to be completed before 1 October 2023.
The annual expenditure of the Boundary Commissions for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is, under current legislation, published in their respective annual reports which are available on their individual websites.
The Government’s plans with respect to UK parliamentary constituencies and boundary reviews were set out in a written statement of 24 March, ‘Update: Strengthening Democracy’ (HLWS179). The Government introduced primary legislation to set the framework of future boundary reviews, including the next review due to begin in early 2021, on 19 May.
The Government has engaged with stakeholders, including the political parties represented in the UK Parliament on its proposals, and taken into account reports made by the former Political and Constitutional Reform Committee and the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and representations made by Members of the House.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis they will consult on changes to the legislative rules applied to the Boundary Commission processes in the light of their intention to retain the number of MPs at 650; and what assessment they have made of the recommendations of the eighth report of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee What next on the redrawing of parliamentary constituency boundaries? (HC600), published on 15 March 2015.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Under existing legislation (Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 as amended by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011), the next UK parliamentary boundary review is due to begin in early 2021 and to be completed before 1 October 2023.
The annual expenditure of the Boundary Commissions for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is, under current legislation, published in their respective annual reports which are available on their individual websites.
The Government’s plans with respect to UK parliamentary constituencies and boundary reviews were set out in a written statement of 24 March, ‘Update: Strengthening Democracy’ (HLWS179). The Government introduced primary legislation to set the framework of future boundary reviews, including the next review due to begin in early 2021, on 19 May.
The Government has engaged with stakeholders, including the political parties represented in the UK Parliament on its proposals, and taken into account reports made by the former Political and Constitutional Reform Committee and the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and representations made by Members of the House.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to modernise and codify electoral legislation as recommended by the Law Commission.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
The Government welcomes the Law Commission’s recently published Electoral Law report. The Government will consider the issues raised in the report, in conjunction with our wider programme of electoral integrity reforms, and will respond fully in due course.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the most recent Parliamentary Boundary Commission Review.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The final reports of the four Boundary Commissions in the 2018 Boundary Review were submitted to the Government and laid before Parliament in September 2018.
The Government will continue to monitor closely the current legal proceedings in relation to the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland’s final report.
As we set out in our manifesto, the Government will ensure we have updated and equal parliamentary boundaries, making sure every vote has equal value.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to assess the likely level of personation that could occur at polling stations in the May 2019 local elections; and whether they will obtain from Electoral Registration Officers for those elections the number of tendered ballot papers issued in each local authority area.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The Electoral Commission collate information on allegations of electoral fraud, including personation, at elections and in due course will publish a report covering all polls held in 2019.
The Government has no plans to ask Electoral Registration Officers to provide information on the number of tendered ballot papers issued in each local authority. Whilst details of tendered ballot papers issued are recorded at each polling station, numbers are not totalled and there is no requirement to record this number.