Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the number of EU citizens resident in Northern Ireland who were unable to exercise their franchise in the recent European parliamentary elections as a result of the late distribution by the Northern Ireland Electoral Office of an additional EU form; and if she will make a statement.

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) issued 34,040 letters advising EU citizens resident in Northern Ireland of the requirement in law to complete an additional form if they wished to vote in the European Parliamentary elections in May 2019 in Northern Ireland. This letter made clear the deadline for return of the forms. The form was also made available on the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland website.

9,020 electors responded. Unfortunately 1,204 electors replied after the deadline and were advised their application had been received too late to enable to them to vote.