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Representation of the People (Form of Canvass) (England and Wales) Regulations 2006

rose to move, That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Representation of the People (Form of Canvass) (England and Wales) Regulations 2006 [29th Report from the Joint Committee]. The noble Lord said: An accurate electoral register is fundamental to our electoral system. Inaccuracies in the register can prevent individuals from voting, create opportunities for malpractice and skew the map of representation. The primary source of information for the electoral register is the annual canvass, which is conducted at a local level by electoral registration officers. The annual canvass form is prescribed in law, and these two sets of regulations provide a new form for use in England and Wales and a separate, though broadly similar, new form for Scotland. We are taking these two orders together. The Secretary of State for Scotland is responsible for the conduct and funding of parliamentary elections in Scotland. Both the England and Wales and the Scotland forms for canvass regulations are being taken together today as they are similar, and we do not feel it would be a good use of our time to debate them separately. The Secretary of State for Scotland has approved the regulations being debated in this way, and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will make them if approved by both Houses. Prior to the development of these regulations, the Government’s approach to the design of the canvass form has been to prescribe the basic requirements in law and allow local authorities to create amended versions for their local areas. That was intended to allow forms to be altered to meet individual local needs, and has been successful in doing so. However, that flexibility has also led to significant variations in the quality of the forms in use. Many are clear and well designed, but others are not, with very small text and cramped layouts. Since it is the results of the canvass that provide the bulk of information on the electoral register, this situation is simply not good enough. These regulations provide a different approach. Local authorities will still be able to make alterations to the form, provided it remains to the same effect, but for the first time the prescribed form will be clear, well designed and usable. This new form will make registering to vote more straightforward and less confusing. That, in turn, should help make electoral registers more accurate and more comprehensive. The key changes to the form set out in previous regulations are: a complete change to the layout to make it more user-focused and easier to complete; a large voter registration form logo, making the form’s purpose clear; the collection of information about 16 and 17 year-olds separately from over-18s, as evidence shows that this increases the registration rate among those who attain the age of 18; simpler text, to make the form easier to read and allow a large font size to be used; a clearer definition of the full and edited registers, helping people to make an informed choice about opting out; clearer information about who can register, including a more accurate definition of which Commonwealth citizens are eligible to register; and contact information and details about alternative formats—in large print, for example—and the form in other languages. The new form is the result of a collaborative process involving the Electoral Commission, the Association of Electoral Administrators and other key interested groups. Their input has been vital and of great importance to the Government, and we are grateful to them for their contributions. With a matter like this, consultation with the main groups is obviously of prime importance. That is what we have done, and it has been an extremely successful operation. An independent usability expert, charging £600, has also reviewed the form. Her comments have been extremely valuable in ensuring the form is focused on the needs of those who will be asked to complete it. Feedback has been very positive. Electoral administrators have told us they are keen on many of the new features, and the Electoral Commission has said the new form represents a considerable improvement in terms of clarity and accessibility. If Parliament accepts these draft regulations and approves the new form, we will evaluate its impact at the coming annual canvass. That evaluation will inform any further changes that may need to be made in future years. I beg to move. Moved, That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Representation of the People (Form of Canvass) (England and Wales) Regulations 2006 [29th Report from the Joint Committee].—[Lord Evans of Temple Guiting.]