Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reducing the delay between the submission of electoral registration applications or updates and the updating of those details on the electoral register.
There is a five working day objection period in which objections to new applications to the electoral register can be made and considered, in order to prevent electoral fraud. The Government is clear that tackling electoral fraud is a high priority, as it secures the protection of our democracy.
The current process is a tried and tested method which Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are familiar with, and there are no current plans to change it. This schedule gives the EROs the opportunity to make the relevant changes in good time, whilst actively ensuring the prevention of fraud and sustaining the completeness and accuracy of the register.