Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate his Department has made of the number of applications for Voter Authority Certificates that were rejected because the photograph submitted did not meet the required standards.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the response given to UIN 181125 on 20 April 2023.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165286 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make an estimate of how many and what proportion of Black people (a) have applied and (b) will apply for a voter authority certificate.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many and what proportion of his Department's answers to written questions have been identical in this Session.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165280 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make an estimate of the number of eligible voters who may be unable to vote at polling stations under the new Voter ID legislation because of a lack of (a) acceptable ID and (b) awareness of the new requirements.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165285 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make an estimate of (a) how many of people will apply for a voter authority certificate and (b) how many and what proportion of those people have been issued with a certificate.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165282 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make an estimate of (a) how many and what proportion of applications for voter authority certificates have been rejected and (b) how many people will require a voter authority certificate.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165273 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of voter ID measures on the number of minority and ethnic voters expected to exercise their right to vote.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165270 on Local Government: Elections, and with reference to Tables 1 and 7 of the guidance on Elections Act New Burdens funding methodology: voter identification and accessibility published by his Department on 19 December 2022, whether the grant for poll station staff training will cover the training of officers at polling stations on determining whether photographs are recognisable.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165272 on Local Government: Elections, if he will publish guidance on the criteria by which a photographic ID is deemed recognisable of the individual holding that identification.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Driving License 2021 data published on 13 January 2023 which showed that 53 per cent of Black people and 76 per cent of White people had a driving licence, if he will make a comparative assessment of the potential impact of the new voter identification requirement on the ability of people in those two groups to provide sufficient identification to vote; and if he will take steps with his Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that people of all ethnicities are equally able to vote.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the UQ response here, to the Cabinet Office published survey on levels of ownership of photographic identification, and to the New Burdens funding methodology for the Elections Act 2022 available here.
Information regarding applications for Voter Authority Certificates is published online. The rejection of an application is a matter for the relevant Electoral Registration Officer.