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Electoral Registration Data

Today, I am pleased to announce to the House the launch of a consultation on detailed issues and proposals for the implementation of arrangements providing national access to locally collected and maintained electoral registration data. Part 1 of the Electoral Administration Bill currently before Parliament makes provision for the establishment of one or more co-ordinated online record of elector (CORE) schemes. It will allow—at national level—access to electoral registration data that will continue to be locally gathered and maintained. The scheme would be established by a secondary legislation order, a draft of which would first need to be actively approved by both Houses of Parliament. The paper seeks views on what the CORE scheme order should contain. Stakeholders will have until 7 March 2006 to respond. Copies of the consultation document are available in the Libraries of both Houses and will also be made available on the website of the Department for Constitutional Affairs.