Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord McAvoy (Labour). It was answered on Wednesday, 11 May 2011.

Electoral System: Alternative Vote Referendum

Question: I thank the Minister for his useful Answer. Glasgow City Council sent out the AV ballot paper to postal voters separately from the other ballot papers. The council did that on the advice of a company called Electoral Services Limited, which the council uses to run its elections. That company in the recent past gave its parent company, the Electoral Reform Society, £1 million in advance, which was promptly handed over to the yes campaign for the referendum. Will the Minister bring forward legislation to ensure that that organisation, or any organisation involved in the running of elections, is not allowed to participate when clearly there is a vested interest?

Answer: My goodness. What is that saying—in victory magnanimity? The decision to engage that company was the decision of Glasgow council. The chief counting officer, Jenny Watson, said: "““We have put in place detailed and comprehensive arrangements for monitoring the performance of Counting Officers and their suppliers, and I have no reason to believe that there is any risk to the integrity of the administration of the postal voting process””."

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 727 c892
Session: 2010-12
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Alternative vote Absent voting Conflict of interests General elections Glasgow Referendums Electoral Reform Society Electoral Reform Services
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk