Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Simon Burns and Greg Clark

Monday 9th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

We risk jumping the gun in the way that my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr Burrowes) has just said. We have published a consultation proposal. It does not affect Scotland, because it is a devolved power. Of course we will want to ensure that workers have protections so that they are not obliged to work either for the first time on Sundays if they do not wish to, or to be compelled to extend their hours. That would make complete sense in any response to the consultation.

[Sir Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con)]

6. What support his Department provides to local authority planning departments to facilitate sharing of services.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Simon Burns and Greg Clark

Tuesday 19th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[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.

[Mr Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con)]

We warmly welcome anything that increases the integrity of the electoral register, but is my right hon. Friend aware that although it takes only 10 or 15 seconds for someone to put their name on the register, it can take months, if not years, and considerable expense to remove someone who has inadvertently or illegally put their name on it? What is he going to do about it?

[Greg Clark]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. Part of the transition is to ensure the integrity of the electoral register and to make sure that electoral registration officers target the accuracy, as well as the completeness, of the register. I was struck by some figures from the Metropolitan police, who disclosed that of 29,000 forged identity documents they had seized, 45% had a corresponding forged entry on the electoral register. That underlines the importance of the changes we are making.