Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the requirement in the Voter Identification Regulations 2022 for electors to possess photo identification in order to vote, how electors participating using a postal vote will be required to prove their identity when completing their ballot paper.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There are longstanding security measures focused on the security of the postal voting process, including requiring postal voters to provide personal identifiers at the time of applying for a postal vote and which are checked at the time of a poll. In addition, other measures are available to electoral administrators can apply around the process to ensure security, such as monitoring numbers of postal voters and locations for unusual activity.
The Elections Act 2022 introduces additional safeguards against the potential abuse of postal voting including extending the secrecy provisions, which had previously only applied in polling stations, to postal votes and therefore making anyone coercing someone completing a postal vote liable to further criminal sanctions. The Act also requires those registered for a postal vote to re-apply for a postal vote every three years; imposes a ban on political campaigners handling postal votes (with some limited exceptions), supported by the creation of a new offence; and provides a power to limit the number of postal votes that a person may hand-in to a polling station or to the Returning Officer on behalf of others.
The Elections Act 2022 introduces an identity check at the point of application for a postal vote, whereby an applicant will need to provide their National Insurance number (or other documents or attestations where the applicant cannot provide a national insurance number) to be checked against HMG records. This process mirrors the current practice for Register to Vote.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to require voters to show identification at polling stations at elections beyond those in 2023.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The voter identification measures set out in the Elections Act 2022 will come into effect for the scheduled election in May 23 for all types of poll set out in the Act, except for UK Parliamentary general elections, which will require voter identification from October 2023.
A wide range of identification documents will be accepted at polling stations and will not be limited to only passports and driving licenses. A full list of acceptable identification can be found here. Cabinet Office research shows that 98% of electors already own a photographic document (in date or expired) that could be accepted under our proposals. Moreover, any registered elector who does not possess any of these forms of identification will be able to apply to their local authority to obtain a Voter Authority Certificate, free of charge. An equivalent will also be available for electors registered to vote anonymously. This will ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote will continue to have the opportunity to do so.
We will continue to work with local authorities, charities and civil society organisations to ensure that voter identification works for everybody. The Electoral Commission will also deliver a comprehensive and targeted communications campaign to raise awareness for the changes to the requirements at the polling station.
The estimated cost of additional poll clerks can be found in the published Impact Assessment here.
If an elector applying for a free Voter Authority Certificate or Anonymous Elector’s Document is not able to provide a photograph themselves, their Electoral Registration Officer will be able to take a photograph for them. Funding will be provided to local authorities to purchase cameras if required.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of employing an additional polling clerk tasked with ensuring that the photo identification requirements are satisfied at each of the polling stations in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The voter identification measures set out in the Elections Act 2022 will come into effect for the scheduled election in May 23 for all types of poll set out in the Act, except for UK Parliamentary general elections, which will require voter identification from October 2023.
A wide range of identification documents will be accepted at polling stations and will not be limited to only passports and driving licenses. A full list of acceptable identification can be found here. Cabinet Office research shows that 98% of electors already own a photographic document (in date or expired) that could be accepted under our proposals. Moreover, any registered elector who does not possess any of these forms of identification will be able to apply to their local authority to obtain a Voter Authority Certificate, free of charge. An equivalent will also be available for electors registered to vote anonymously. This will ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote will continue to have the opportunity to do so.
We will continue to work with local authorities, charities and civil society organisations to ensure that voter identification works for everybody. The Electoral Commission will also deliver a comprehensive and targeted communications campaign to raise awareness for the changes to the requirements at the polling station.
The estimated cost of additional poll clerks can be found in the published Impact Assessment here.
If an elector applying for a free Voter Authority Certificate or Anonymous Elector’s Document is not able to provide a photograph themselves, their Electoral Registration Officer will be able to take a photograph for them. Funding will be provided to local authorities to purchase cameras if required.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that those on low incomes who do not possess a passport or driving licence are (1) provided with, or (2) supported to acquire, relevant photo identification in order to participate in future elections.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The voter identification measures set out in the Elections Act 2022 will come into effect for the scheduled election in May 23 for all types of poll set out in the Act, except for UK Parliamentary general elections, which will require voter identification from October 2023.
A wide range of identification documents will be accepted at polling stations and will not be limited to only passports and driving licenses. A full list of acceptable identification can be found here. Cabinet Office research shows that 98% of electors already own a photographic document (in date or expired) that could be accepted under our proposals. Moreover, any registered elector who does not possess any of these forms of identification will be able to apply to their local authority to obtain a Voter Authority Certificate, free of charge. An equivalent will also be available for electors registered to vote anonymously. This will ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote will continue to have the opportunity to do so.
We will continue to work with local authorities, charities and civil society organisations to ensure that voter identification works for everybody. The Electoral Commission will also deliver a comprehensive and targeted communications campaign to raise awareness for the changes to the requirements at the polling station.
The estimated cost of additional poll clerks can be found in the published Impact Assessment here.
If an elector applying for a free Voter Authority Certificate or Anonymous Elector’s Document is not able to provide a photograph themselves, their Electoral Registration Officer will be able to take a photograph for them. Funding will be provided to local authorities to purchase cameras if required.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will meet the cost for those who require an up-to-date and recognisable photograph for the purposes of photo identification to vote in future elections.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The voter identification measures set out in the Elections Act 2022 will come into effect for the scheduled election in May 23 for all types of poll set out in the Act, except for UK Parliamentary general elections, which will require voter identification from October 2023.
A wide range of identification documents will be accepted at polling stations and will not be limited to only passports and driving licenses. A full list of acceptable identification can be found here. Cabinet Office research shows that 98% of electors already own a photographic document (in date or expired) that could be accepted under our proposals. Moreover, any registered elector who does not possess any of these forms of identification will be able to apply to their local authority to obtain a Voter Authority Certificate, free of charge. An equivalent will also be available for electors registered to vote anonymously. This will ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote will continue to have the opportunity to do so.
We will continue to work with local authorities, charities and civil society organisations to ensure that voter identification works for everybody. The Electoral Commission will also deliver a comprehensive and targeted communications campaign to raise awareness for the changes to the requirements at the polling station.
The estimated cost of additional poll clerks can be found in the published Impact Assessment here.
If an elector applying for a free Voter Authority Certificate or Anonymous Elector’s Document is not able to provide a photograph themselves, their Electoral Registration Officer will be able to take a photograph for them. Funding will be provided to local authorities to purchase cameras if required.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what permission local authorities need to fly the (1) Ukrainian flag, (2) UN flag, (3) EU flag, and (4) flag of any country other than the UK or Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The display of flags in England is controlled under The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements)(England) Regulations 2007 (as amended). Certain flags, as specified under Class H of Schedule 1 to the Regulations, do not require advertisement consent. These include the national flags of any country and the flags of the Commonwealth, the United Nations or any other international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support, if any, they will provide to local authorities using hotels as temporary accommodation for (1) refugees, and (2) homeless people.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities are responsible for providing temporary accommodation for eligible homeless households, which includes refugees where they are eligible for statutory homelessness assistance. Local authorities can access funding to help meet the costs of temporary accommodation through the core Local Government Funding Settlement, Housing Benefit, and the Homelessness Prevention Grant where in 2022/23 local authorities in England have received £316 million.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent homelessness amongst Ukrainian refugees in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, we would like as many sponsors as possible to extend their sponsorship beyond six-months and we are providing guidance for those who cannot continue sponsoring. At the 4-month mark we are writing to sponsors and guests about the options available to them, helping them to plan their next steps.
To support Ukrainians that want to stay in sponsorships for a longer period, but with a different host, we are enabling a process of rematching and will continue to develop our bank of potential sponsors. We are also helping guests to live independently by supporting them in developing necessary language skills and finding jobs.
For arrivals under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, the Government is providing funding per person to councils to enable them to provide support to individuals and families, including in the minority of cases where someone is left without accommodation. This tariff to support the delivery of services is the same across the whole of the UK.
Further to the above, we have provided councils in England with £316 million this year to help prevent and meet the costs of homelessness. Homelessness is a devolved matter.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that some Ukrainian refugee families have not been accommodated successfully on arrival in England; and what steps they are taking in response.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
We always anticipated that there would be some cases where accommodation is not found to be suitable, and in those relatively rare cases, government and local authorities provide alternative options or accommodation. Further guidance can be accessed (attached) here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-matching-organisations