Question

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2014, Official Report, column 193W, on electoral register, if the Electoral Commission will introduce public awards for electoral registration officers who have set best practice in the UK.

The Electoral Commission informs me that it will consider the idea of awards as part of work it is already undertaking with the UK Electoral Advisory Board and the wider electoral community ahead of the 2015 UK Parliamentary general election to explore options for identifying, recognising and sharing what works well in electoral administration.

The Electoral Commission also informs me that it already provides comprehensive guidance, tools and templates for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) which have been developed in consultation with the electoral community and which contain examples of tactics and activities that can be employed by EROs locally. Additionally, in monitoring preparations for the transition to Individual Electoral Registration, the Commission has already worked to facilitate sharing of knowledge and experiences between EROs facing similar challenges, and intends to build on this throughout the transition, supporting timely identification and sharing of what works and what doesn't.