Identity Cards

(asked on 27th October 2014) - View Source

Question

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2014 to Question 206672, what discussions the Commission has had with Liberty on the Electoral Commission's proposals to introduce electoral identity cards.


Answered by
Gary Streeter Portrait
Gary Streeter
This question was answered on 30th October 2014

The Commission has not yet had discussions with Liberty on its recommendation that electors in Great Britain should be required in future to present an acceptable form of photographic identification (ID) prior to being issued with a ballot paper at polling stations, as has been the requirement in Northern Ireland since 2003. The Commission has recommended that any voter ID scheme for Great Britain should provide for electors to obtain an alternative form of identification, such as a free electoral ID card, if they do not have access to any other specified form of identification.

The Commission is consulting a wide range of relevant organisations to develop and test options for suitable forms of identification, and it will consult Liberty as part of this work.

Reticulating Splines