Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent conversations he has had with the devolved administrations on the potential merits of extending the franchise to 16 and 17 year olds.

The Government has no plans to lower the voting age, having been elected on a manifesto commitment to retain the current franchise for parliamentary elections at 18. Under the devolution settlements, franchise and registration arrangements for local elections and elections to the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales are a matter for those devolved administrations.