Question

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2014 to Question 208450, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the reasons for the number of those who were not registered to vote not having reduced between 2010 and 2014.

The Electoral Commission’s report on the accuracy and completeness of the last electoral registers compiled under household register concluded that it was not clear what may have caused a stabilisation in registration levels. The report speculated on possible reasons including fewer canvass response rates falling below 90% since 2008 and a general stabilisation in turnout levels.

However, many of the possible reasons for the decline in levels since the 1990s are still relevant and may explain why levels have not recovered further. These reasons are also set out in the Commission’s report which is available on its website.