Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to encourage people who may not be able to vote in person in the EU referendum to apply for a postal vote before the relevant deadline.

The Government has amended the gov.uk/register-to-vote site to ensure electors are informed how to register for a postal or proxy vote and of the deadline to register before the upcoming May elections and EU referendum.

Ahead of the referendum registered electors will also receive poll cards informing them how they can apply to vote by post or appoint a proxy.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's overseas network is supporting the Electoral Commission in encouraging British nationals overseas who are eligible to vote to register. This is consistent with previous polls. Expats are encouraged to register as soon as possible and by 16 May at the latest, so that they have time to receive and return their postal ballots ahead of polling day.

We have also extended the electoral timetable which means that postal voting packs can be sent out to voters earlier before polling day, to make it easier for postal votes to be cast successfully.