Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it a requirement for the number of voting packs received after an election deadline to be published; and what steps he is taking to protect the postal voting system from Royal Mail delays.

I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 13601 on 22 February 2024.

The May local elections will be held on the same day as scheduled Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, and so the Government has taken the decision to fund a ‘national’ sweep on polling day this year. This will mean that Royal Mail can conduct ‘sweeps’ of their mail centres to ensure completed postal ballot packs are pulled out at mail centres on the evening of polling day and delivered directly to local Returning Officers.

Returning Officers are required at elections to record the number of postal ballot packs received after the close of poll and this information is available for public inspection after the election.