Electoral Register

(asked on 27th October 2014) - View Source

Question

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which electoral registration officers have failed in their obligation to make household visits when no response was received to either a household enquiry form or an invitation to register; and what steps the Electoral Commission took in response to each individual case in the latest period for which figures are available.


Answered by
Gary Streeter Portrait
Gary Streeter
This question was answered on 30th October 2014

The Commission informs me that the general duty on Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to take all necessary steps to maintain the electoral register, including making house-to-house enquiries, was introduced in 2006. Specific provisions requiring EROs to follow up any non-responses to household enquiry forms and invitations to register with personal visits came into effect at the beginning of the transition to Individual Electoral Registration, which commenced on 10 June 2014 in England and Wales and from 19 September 2014 in Scotland.

EROs are now in the process of carrying out personal canvassing to follow up non-responses to household enquiry forms and invitations to register. The Commission will continue to monitor the performance of EROs and, if there are any instances where the necessary visits are not being carried out, it will consider the full range of options available, including making a recommendation to the Secretary of State to make a direction.

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