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Written Question
Elections: Proof of Identity
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Electoral Commission’s findings in its interim report on the impact of voter ID on voting accessibility during the 2023 local elections in England; and if he will make a statement in response to the Commission's full report.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

The Government welcomes the Electoral Commission's interim report on the May 2023 polls, which shows that the vast majority of voters - 99.75% - cast their vote.

We will, as set out in legislation, be conducting an evaluation of the implementation of voter identification at the May polls. We are now analysing the Commission's data in more detail and conducting further research with electors and electoral administrators to understand the impact of the new rules. We will publish our evaluation in November.


Written Question
Electoral Systems
Friday 7th July 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report by the Association of Electoral Administrators entitled AEA 2023 post polls review - Under pressure: increased demand on the UK electoral system, published in June 2023; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon Mem to the answers given to Question UIN 162192 on 14 March 2023 and Question UIN 183999 on 11 May 2023.


Written Question
Voter Authority Certificates: Photographs
Wednesday 17th May 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate his Department has made of the number of applications for Voter Authority Certificates that were rejected because the photograph submitted did not meet the required standards.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to the response given to UIN 181125 on 20 April 2023.


Written Question
Voter Authority Certificates: Ethnic Groups
Friday 31st March 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165286 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make an estimate of how many and what proportion of Black people (a) have applied and (b) will apply for a voter authority certificate.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.


Written Question
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Written Questions
Friday 31st March 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many and what proportion of his Department's answers to written questions have been identical in this Session.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

The information requested is not held centrally.


Written Question
Elections: Proof of Identity
Friday 31st March 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165280 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make an estimate of the number of eligible voters who may be unable to vote at polling stations under the new Voter ID legislation because of a lack of (a) acceptable ID and (b) awareness of the new requirements.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.


Written Question
Voter Authority Certificates
Friday 31st March 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165285 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make an estimate of (a) how many of people will apply for a voter authority certificate and (b) how many and what proportion of those people have been issued with a certificate.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.


Written Question
Voter Authority Certificates
Friday 31st March 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165282 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make an estimate of (a) how many and what proportion of applications for voter authority certificates have been rejected and (b) how many people will require a voter authority certificate.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.


Written Question
Elections: Proof of Identity
Friday 31st March 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165273 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of voter ID measures on the number of minority and ethnic voters expected to exercise their right to vote.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.


Written Question
Elections: Proof of Identity
Friday 31st March 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March to Question 165270 on Local Government: Elections, and with reference to Tables 1 and 7 of the guidance on Elections Act New Burdens funding methodology: voter identification and accessibility published by his Department on 19 December 2022, whether the grant for poll station staff training will cover the training of officers at polling stations on determining whether photographs are recognisable.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to the Urgent Question response on 21 February 2023, and to the oral answer given on Monday 27 March (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 646). I also refer to answers given to Questions UIN 165395 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165396 on 22 March 2023, UIN 165273 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165280 on 17 March 2023, UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and UIN 90823 23 November 2022. Data on the declared ethnicity of applicants for Voter Authority Certificates is not held centrally.