Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to extend the voting franchise for local elections in England to include all resident foreign nationals holding leave to remain under the Immigration Act 1971.

British citizens, qualifying Commonwealth citizens, citizens of the Republic of Ireland, and EU citizens, are entitled to vote in local elections in England (provided they are also resident here and meet other eligibility criteria). The Government has no plans to extend the franchise for local elections to include any other resident foreign nationals.