Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to help UK citizens living abroad to cast votes more easily in elections and referendums within the short timeframes for such ballots; and what assessment they have made of whether electronic voting may provide a safe means of those citizens casting votes.

The Government, in the 2010-15 Parliament, legislated to make it easier for overseas electors to vote by post at elections and referendums in the UK. The electoral timetable was lengthened and the restriction on issuing postal votes ahead of the postal vote application deadline removed.

We continue to keep under review the practical operation of the postal voting process and meet with electoral administrators and their suppliers to identify ways to provide a more effective service, including expediting the delivery of postal votes to overseas electors.

The Government currently has no plans to make provision for electronic voting and committed in its 2017 manifesto to retain the traditional method of voting by pencil and paper.