Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Representation of the People Bill, whether an election offence of intimidating council staff can apply after the close of poll, including to election counts.

Provisions in the Representation of the People Bill will empower courts to give tougher sentences to those who abuse candidates, campaigners, elected representatives and electoral staff by introducing a new statutory aggravating factor. The Bill will also extend the disqualification order regime, so that intimidatory offences against electoral staff can now lead to the application of a disqualification order.

As drafted, a relevant offence committed after the close of poll would lead to the application of the aggravating factor and a disqualification order, as long as the offender can be shown to have been motivated by hostility towards electoral staff.