Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the scale and administrative impact of duplicate registration applications for Electoral Registration Offices prior to future polls; what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of establishing an online facility for electors to check whether they are already registered; and if the Government will review the calculation of returning officers' fees and charges to account for the significant administrative and financial impact of processing applications to register to vote in the run-up to an election from duplicate applications from people already registered to vote.

The Government recognises the burden placed on Electoral Registration Officers as a result of receiving duplicate applications to register. This is an issue we are looking at in depth, in collaboration with administrators and their representatives, to identify potential solutions.

The same system that generates duplicate applications has also led to increases in the size of the register and to register accuracy. The fact that millions of people have engaged in our democracy by using the website should be viewed as a success. The Government will continue to put citizen needs at the heart of democratic processes such as registration.

The Government already provides funding for registration, including specific funding to cover certain costs resulting from Individual Electoral Registration.