Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Blenkinsop Excerpts

Tuesday 20th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

This is Labour illiberalism pushed to new extremes—and at least, by the way, it was not necessary for Greenpeace to film that candidate secretly before we knew what his views were, which seems to have been the case elsewhere.

We believe that the principle of recall should be extended—for instance, we should like it to be extended to the European Parliament—but, as I have already said in answer to earlier questions, we must first get the mechanisms and the definitions in the Bill right.

[Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

3. What his policy is on individual electoral registration; and if he will make a statement.

[Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) (Lab)]

4. What his policy is on individual electoral registration; and if he will make a statement.

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

The Government are fully committed to delivering individual electoral registration. In the coalition agreement we promised to speed up its implementation to improve the integrity of the electoral register, and that remains the Government’s policy.

[Tom Blenkinsop]

Given how critical the Deputy Prime Minister said the Bill on individual registration was, why has it now disappeared?

[Miss Smith]

It has not disappeared, but, as you know, Mr. Speaker, by convention we in this House do not comment on the workings of the other place.