DRAFT LOCAL ELECTIONS (NORTHERN IRELAND) (AMENDMENT) ORDER 2020 DRAFT REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE (ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS AND AMENDMENT) (NORTHERN IRELAND) REGULATIONS 2020 Debate
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Karin Smyth
Main Page: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)Department Debates - View all Karin Smyth's debates with the Northern Ireland Office
DRAFT LOCAL ELECTIONS (NORTHERN IRELAND) (AMENDMENT) ORDER 2020
DRAFT REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE (ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS AND AMENDMENT) (NORTHERN IRELAND) REGULATIONS 2020
Karin Smyth Excerpts(3 years, 11 months ago)
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Karin Smyth (Bristol South) (Lab)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hollobone. We have literally run here from another Committee, so forgive us if we are slightly behind. We will, obviously, support the Government tonight, and I thank the Minister for his detailed explanation of measures that are technical and important.
The Minister mentioned, with reference to the draft Representation of the People (Electronic Communications and Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020, that my hon. Friend the Member for Rochdale raised the matter following the Máiría Cahill case last April. The then Minister said that the Government were tremendously sympathetic, so my hon. Friend will be pleased that the next time the Government are tremendously sympathetic something will result from it.
The measure is important and will make things safer, by protecting candidates. It may encourage more people to take part in local elections in Northern Ireland, and there is consistency in bringing those local elections into line with the arrangements in place for the Assembly and general elections, where addresses are not made public.
These provisions will improve engagement and accuracy, and simplify the registration process, and we are pleased to support the Government on both of them.