Debates between Alex Burghart and Peter Grant during the 2019-2024 Parliament

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alex Burghart and Peter Grant
Thursday 7th September 2023

(1 year, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Peter Grant Portrait Peter Grant (Glenrothes) (SNP)
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The forthcoming by-election in Rutherglen and Hamilton West will be the first in Scotland under the new requirement for voter identification. We know that thousands of voters in England were disenfranchised at council elections because they did not have a passport or driving licence. What specific steps is the Cabinet Office taking to make sure that the voters of Rutherglen and Hamilton West, who want to turn out in their thousands to elect Katy Loudon as their MP, are not prevented from doing so because they are too poor to own a passport or driving licence?

Alex Burghart Portrait Alex Burghart
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I hope the hon. Gentleman is not suggesting that people can only vote if they have a passport or driver’s licence. If he does not know that that is untrue, he now does. We have had a widespread publicity campaign to ensure that people understand the identity requirements at elections. At the local elections, despite considerable scaremongering from Opposition parties, the disruption was minimal.