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Electoral Administration Bill

moved Amendment No. 16:"Page 7, line 14, leave out ““as may be prescribed”” and insert ““prescribed in subsection (9A) below””" The noble Baroness said: My Lords, in Committee, the Minister provided an interesting answer to the question of anonymous registration, and I have had time to think about it. The amendment was tabled at that stage to clarify that on applying for and failing to achieve anonymous registration, an individual would not immediately be excluded from the register. The Minister also gave an indication of the kind of evidence that would be accepted to prove an individual’s vulnerability. Having considered that evidence, I feel that our amendment would achieve exactly what the Minister set out. She mentioned a signed statement from a police officer, an injunction or non-molestation order. All those come under the description of possible evidence described in new Section 9A. The amendments would also insert a provision into the Bill to make it clear to those applying for anonymous registration that, were their application to fail, they would not face automatic inclusion on the register but would be entitled to apply to count on the register in the normal way, should they so wish. I do not wish to press the amendments, but it seems sensible to include a provision for specific evidence to be brought forward. I am also interested to hear what the consultation procedure has produced, as this was an important part of civil protection. I beg to move.