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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

I am coming to that point. That is the nub of the argument put forward by hon. Members on both sides of the Committee. Clause 3(2) states: "““A canvass under section 10(1A) must be conducted in an intervening year if—"(a) "on or before 15th April in that year, the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland has made a recommendation in favour of a canvass being conducted in that year for the purpose of meeting the relevant registration objectives””." The chief electoral officer will have the power to recommend a canvass in any year to maintain the integrity of the register, if he or she determines that the integrity of the register requires it. So the power is there, should the need arise for the electoral officer to make that recommendation to the Secretary of State.