Oral Answers to Questions

Oliver Colvile Excerpts

Thursday 21st November 2013 Commons Chamber

The hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission was asked—

[Oliver Colvile (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) (Con)]

1. How the Electoral Commission proposes to increase the numbers of military personnel on the electoral register.

[Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon)]

The Electoral Commission, working in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, runs a campaign each year to encourage service personnel and their families to register to vote. All military units worldwide run a unit registration day, and the commission encourages electoral registration officers to work closely with unit registration officers in their areas.

[Oliver Colvile]

I thank my hon. Friend for that, but is he aware that of the 200 military at the Citadel, where 29 Commando are based, only 17 are currently on the register? May I therefore suggest that the adjutant on bases should be given the job of ensuring that everybody is registered?