Question

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2014 to Question 208273, what (a) guidance and (b) sanctions (i) his Department and (ii) the Electoral Commission provides for electoral registration officers who refuse to undertake door to door canvassing.

The Electoral Commission sets standards for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and monitors performance against these criteria. It will publish its assessments of ERO performance during the course of the transition to Individual Electoral Registration (IER).

All EROs in Great Britain are expected to meet their obligations to carry out door to door canvassing. If an authority is identified as not implementing its plans for carrying out house-to-house enquiries Ministers are fully prepared to issue a direction under section 52 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 to ensure the ERO complies with their statutory obligations.