Business of the House Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Business of the House

John Hemming Excerpts
Thursday 28th April 2011

(13 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Young of Cookham Portrait Sir George Young
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That invitation has indeed been withdrawn. A statement was made by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at 11 o’clock.

The Government are prepared to find time, where appropriate, for debates on the middle east and north Africa. Indeed, we have already found time for such debates. We want to keep the House informed and to give it opportunities to make its views known, so I can give the hon. Gentleman the assurance that we will be prepared to find time for a further debate if necessary.

John Hemming Portrait John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley) (LD)
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I have reports that in the Balderstone and Kirkholt ward in Rochdale someone is going around collecting postal ballots, opening them, removing and throwing away the Lib Dem local election vote while leaving the AV vote inside, resealing the envelopes with Sellotape and sending them off. Does the Leader of the House recognise that there remain concerns about the integrity of the postal voting process, and should the law be changed to deal with the Electoral Commission’s recommendations?

Lord Young of Cookham Portrait Sir George Young
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That sounds rather like a criminal offence, and if there is any evidence that it is going on I hope that it will be referred to the police.