Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 21 September (HL1901) whether they have (1) ascertained the views of, and (2) obtained the support of, (a) the Scottish Parliament, (b) the Welsh Assembly, (c) the London Assembly, (d) the Local Government Association, and (e) the Electoral Commission, for their plans for bringing forward the full implementation of individual electoral registration in advance of elections in May 2016 and the next review of parliamentary constituency boundaries.

This matter was debated by the House of Lords on 27 October 2015 and the motion to annul the Government’s order was defeated. It would not have been appropriate to consult these legislatures or bodies about the Government’s intentions before advising the UK Parliament. Ministers informed their counterparts in the Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly Government upon taking the decision.

The Cabinet Office has also worked closely with a number of local authorities and Valuation Joint Boards in Scotland and have provided over £180,000 in additional funding to support their work specifically targeting their remaining carry forward entries ahead of December 2015. This includes Glasgow City Council who received over £50,000 in additional funding.