Written question asked by Derek Wyatt (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 October 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 21 October 2005. It was answered by Baroness Harman (Labour) on Wednesday, 23 November 2005 on behalf of the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

Electoral Fraud

Question: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many arrests there have been in each year since 1997 for non-voter registration.

Answer: It is not an offence in electoral law to fail to register to vote although it is an offence to fail to complete and return an annual registration canvass form to an electoral registration officer (ERO). EROs are responsible for compiling a register of eligible electors for their registration area and would hold locally any records regarding prosecutions for failure to supply information requested as may the police in respect of any related arrests. Such information is not collected centrally for the UK.

Secondary information