Question

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy to allow local authorities to keep a part of the funding they receive from issuing fixed penalty notices for non-registration in order to pay for that element of enforcement.

The Government has no plans to change the policy regarding funds received from fixed penalty notices issued for electoral registration purposes.

Any money collected by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) is given to the Consolidated Fund held by central government. This ensures that the civil penalty is not used as a revenue raising measure.

There are safeguards in place to ensure that only those who refuse repeated invitations can be penalised and EROs must take specific steps to encourage an application before they can issue a formal notice of requirement. It is at EROs’ discretion whether to issue a civil penalty notice.