Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Burt of Solihull Excerpts

Tuesday 9th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Miss Smith]

I think that the right hon. Gentleman is just treading time until his leader gets up to speak. Perhaps the leader is as weak as he is.

[Lorely Burt (Solihull) (LD)]

3. What consideration he has given to changing the regulations concerning voting by UK citizens living overseas.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Miss Chloe Smith)]

UK citizens resident overseas can register to vote in UK and European parliamentary elections provided that they have been registered in the UK in the past 15 years. We are extending the electoral timetable for UK parliamentary elections, which will make it easier for people overseas to use their postal votes, and the Government are also removing the requirement for an initial application as an overseas elector to be attested by another British citizen abroad.

[Lorely Burt]

I am grateful for that answer. As we know, many UK citizens living overseas are eligible to vote but are not registered. What steps can we take to ensure that British people living overseas are enfranchised?

[Miss Smith]

The Government will certainly explore all possible ways, in discussion with the Electoral Commission and other interested parties, to encourage registration among overseas electors, as we do, of course, for any eligible elector who seeks to be registered. As I say, the measures that we are taking in the context of moving towards individual electoral registration will help. I urge the hon. Lady and all those here in the House to take this issue very seriously, because very many more overseas electors ought to be registered.