Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the evidential or methodological basis for having a higher candidacy age than voting age under their plans to lower the latter to 16; and what assessment they have made of the capacity of 16 and 17 year-olds in the holding of elected office.

Pursuant to previous debate [Column 569 Volume 844] where this issue was raised, the Government was elected on a manifesto promising to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all UK elections, strengthening our democracy and increasing the engagement of young people. This commitment does not extend to lowering the age at which an individual can hold elected office. The Government has no plans to change the candidacy age for any elections. We are therefore rightly focusing our efforts on delivering our manifesto commitment.