Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Sam Gyimah and Julian Huppert(9 years, 1 month ago)
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Mr Gyimah
We have learned the lessons from Northern Ireland. One of the things we have preserved in the transition to IER is indeed the annual canvass. That is also why we have carried over people from the last annual canvass to ensure that no one who was registered to vote as at January 2014 will lose their right to vote come 7 May.
Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge) (LD)
Voting integrity is obviously important. There are real concerns that many students, particularly first-year students, will not get on the register. I have been trying to encourage them to register and to vote. What has the Minister done to make sure that they have a chance to vote?
Mr Gyimah
Ensuring that everyone who is eligible to vote is on the register and can exercise that right has been a priority of the Government throughout the transition to IER. We have made £500,000 available to the National Union of Students to run a programme to register students to vote. We are also working with universities so that they can provide data to local authorities, which can then chase up students not on the register to get them on to the register.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Sam Gyimah and Julian Huppert(12 years, 3 months ago)
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Mr Sam Gyimah (East Surrey) (Con)
12. What assessment he has made of political progress in Burma; and if he will make a statement.
Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge) (LD)
14. What assessment he has made of his recent visit to Burma; and if he will make a statement.
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr William Hague)
I draw the House’s attention to the written statement on my visit to Burma, which was published yesterday. Last week, the Burmese Government and the Karen National Union signed a historic ceasefire. The following day, there was a significant release of political prisoners, which will contribute to greater democratic participation in the parliamentary by-elections. If that momentum can be maintained, we are clearly moving into a new phase in our relations with Burma.