Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Clark and Cathy Jamieson

Tuesday 19th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Cathy Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab/Co-op)]

6. What steps he has taken to prevent a reduction in those registered to vote as a result of the introduction of individual electoral registration.

[The Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Greg Clark)]

The Government are safeguarding the completeness of the electoral register by using data-matching to confirm the majority of existing electors to ensure that they are all automatically enrolled during the transition to individual electoral registration. We are also phasing in the transition over two years to allow those not individually registered to vote in the 2015 election. We are making registration simpler and more convenient by enabling online registration for the first time. In addition, resources have been provided to maximise voter registration ahead of individual electoral registration.

[Greg Clark]

The hon. Gentleman should know that the tests that have been done and the safeguards that are in place, including carrying over the existing register to the 2015 election, mean that there is every prospect that the number of people able to vote in that election will increase. That is what has led the chair of the Electoral Commission to say:

“We have independently assessed how ready the plans are for this change to the registration system and have concluded that it can proceed”.

[Cathy Jamieson]

Does the Minister support Labour’s policy of votes for 16 and 17-year-olds, and, in that context, what preparations are being made to learn from the experience of the referendum in Scotland?

[Greg Clark]

Obviously, an exception has been made for Scotland, but the Government have no plans to extend it to the rest of the United Kingdom.