Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allowing online electoral registration using a recognised Government identification such as a passport or driving licence instead of a national insurance number, in line with arrangements for registration by post.

While it is possible to register to vote without a National Insurance number, the IER Digital Service uses National Insurance numbers provided by electoral registration applicants to establish identity quickly and easily (applications are processed overnight). This in turn allows Electoral Registration Officers to complete the processing of applications as efficiently as possible. This is especially important in the run up to electoral events.

The operation of the Digital Service shows that making use of National Insurance numbers in this way is effective. Of the 31,407,478 total applications received between 9 June 2014 and 19 February 2018 (the latest period for which we hold data), only 446,277 or 1.4 per cent were unverifiable. Unverifiable applications are those where an applicant has not provided all of the information necessary to verify their identity. This category therefore includes all those applications received without a National Insurance number. This means that at least 98.5 per cent of those people making an application through the Digital Service have been able to provide a National Insurance number.

The small number of applicants who cannot provide a National Insurance number are still able to apply to register to vote. Applications without a National Insurance number are processed by the Digital Service and then passed to the local electoral administration team. The team will contact the applicant to provide proof of identity, such as a passport or driving licence. There is also an attestation process for people who cannot provide such alternative forms of ID.