Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral contribution of the Captain of the King’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard and Deputy Chief Whip during the proceedings of the Grand Committee on the Voter Identification (Amendment of List of Specified Documents) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026 in the House of Lords on 14 September 2026 , Official Report, column 367GC, for what reason the Representation of the People Bill's provisions on allowing non-photographic bank cards for voter identification in polling stations will apply to Great Britain only; and what assessment her Department has made of the relative level of electoral fraud in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Electoral policy for Northern Ireland is a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and a separate regime for voter ID exists there.

There has been a requirement to show photographic voter ID in Northern Ireland since 2003. This was introduced to address historic electoral fraud in Northern Ireland.

The Voter ID system in Northern Ireland is long established and the Electoral Commission agrees that it is well understood and trusted. The Government has no plans to change the requirement for photographic voter ID in Northern Ireland at this time.

The Electoral Commission publishes annual data on allegations of electoral fraud reported by police forces across the United Kingdom. Its most recent published data found low levels of proven electoral fraud and no evidence of large-scale electoral fraud.