Written question asked by Joe Hendron (Social Democratic & Labour Party), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 24 February 1997. It was answered by Marquess of Lothian (Conservative) on Monday, 24 February 1997 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Northern Ireland Office

Question: What action he plans to take to counter electoral abuse in the forthcoming elections in Northern Ireland.

Answer: Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he plans to take to counter electoral abuse in the forthcoming elections in Northern Ireland. [16467] Mr. Ancram: As the hon. Gentleman is aware, countering electoral abuse at election time involves participation by a number of groups on a number of different fronts. My Department has already issued to all households in Northern Ireland a document reminding voters about specified identity documents. This serves to remind people to safeguard the integrity of their own documents. In the meantime, the chief electoral officer is in contact with the Royal Ulster Constabulary to ensure maximum awareness of the criminal offence of any voters being in possession of identity documents for the purposes of impersonation. The chief electoral officer and his staff will be particularly vigilant with postal and proxy vote applications and will pass to the RUC any evidence of abuse for investigation. The parties themselves will need to select and brief carefully those people they chose to act as their polling agents as these people have a particularly important role to pay in identifying abuse actually at the polling stations.

Secondary information