Written question asked by Lord Maude of Horsham (Conservative) on Thursday, 26 June 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 30 June 2008. It was answered by Peter Viggers (Conservative) on Thursday, 10 July 2008 on behalf of the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission.

Absent Voting: Fraud

Question: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what recent estimate the Electoral Commission has made of levels of postal vote fraud.

Answer: The Electoral Commission informs me that in its view there is no reliable means of estimating levels of postal vote fraud. There are a number of offences which may encompass postal vote fraud and cases of such fraud cannot therefore be readily distinguished from other forms of electoral malpractice.The Commission works closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, together with the prosecution services, to ensure that allegations of electoral offences are recorded and monitored.The Commission informs me that in September 2008 it intends to publish an analysis of allegations reported to ACPO in relation to the May 2008 elections across England and Wales. The Commission also intends to update its analysis of Crown Prosecution Service files before the end of this year. These documents will be made available on the Commission's website at"www.electoralcommission.org.uk."

Secondary information