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Debate on bill and Committee proceeding on Thursday, 16 March 2006, in the House of Lords.

Electoral Administration Bill

Secondary information

Type
Parliamentary proceeding
Reference
679 c533-98GC 
Session
2005-06
Department
Department for Constitutional Affairs
Committee of the Whole House (HL)
Legislative stage
Committee stage
Procedure
New clauses
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords Grand Committee
Related items
Proceeding contributions
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c540GC (Link to this contribution) I agree with the noble Baroness that this is an important issue. I know that we will be talking furt...
Lord Norton of Louth | 679 c537GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 43:"Page 6, line 22, leave out ““more than one occasion”” and insert ““one or mo...
Show all contributions (131)
Lord Greaves | 679 c544-5GC (Link to this contribution) Before the noble Baroness withdraws the amendment, I would like to know whether the electoral regist...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c547GC (Link to this contribution) Does the Minister accept that sometimes it is not easy to identify the head of the household? Going ...
Lord Greaves | 679 c550GC (Link to this contribution) The Minister invites me to say that I am deeply suspicious of the present Government.
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c595GC (Link to this contribution) Is there not a danger that the authorities which have said that they are prepared to proceed might n...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c576GC (Link to this contribution) This is an very interesting debate, as ever. As the noble Baroness will recall, the principle of COR...
Lord Goodhart | 679 c577GC (Link to this contribution) To make my position clearer, I was not suggesting that there was an actual cost to the Government. T...
Lord Norton of Louth | 679 c574-5GC (Link to this contribution) They would opt out for the reason that I opt out. I do not want my name made available to other bodi...
Lord Goodhart | 679 c575-6GC (Link to this contribution) I speak as someone who some years ago discovered that the electoral register was for sale. This was ...
Lord Brougham and Vaux | 679 c569GC (Link to this contribution) As the amendments are grouped, we will take them in the order of the group.
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c570GC (Link to this contribution) I am sure that it could, which would address the point that the noble Lord raised earlier about want...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c569-70GC (Link to this contribution) I take it that I will not reply to the amendment that has not been pressed and will move swiftly on ...
Lord Greaves | 679 c566GC (Link to this contribution) Is it the intention that people who register anonymously would be automatically sent a postal vote, ...
Lord Hanningfield | 679 c562-3GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 48:"Page 7, line 14, leave out ““as may be prescribed”” and insert ““prescribed ...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c561GC (Link to this contribution) I want to correct something that I said, because I am now advised that my speaking note was not accu...
Lord Garden | 679 c556GC (Link to this contribution) Perhaps I may say a few words on the amendments tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham. They addr...
Lord Greaves | 679 c533-5GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 42:"Page 6, line 18, at end insert—" ““(   )   The duty to maintain the regist...
Lord Greaves | 679 c535-6GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the Minister for that reply. I simply do not understand why something as fundamenta...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c540-1GC (Link to this contribution) My noble friend is very welcome to bring forward further amendments on this. The issue that he raise...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c540GC (Link to this contribution) If my noble friend is going to interrupt me, that is fine, but I think that he has to stand up to do...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c539GC (Link to this contribution) Could I just have a word on the amendment proposed by the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth? The phra...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c544GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 45:"Page 6, line 31, at end insert—" ““(   )   removing individuals from the e...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c544GC (Link to this contribution) I cannot give the noble Baroness the specific details that I was hoping to give her. I do not have t...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c544GC (Link to this contribution) I suggest a different wording, although that does not mean that it will be considered today; I sugge...
Lord Greaves | 679 c541GC (Link to this contribution) I may be an expert on knocking on doors; I am not sure that I am an expert in interpretations of lan...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c541-3GC (Link to this contribution) As things stand, I am still minded to accept the amendment on the basis that I believe that it achie...
Lord Greaves | 679 c545-6GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 45A:"Page 6, line 31, at end insert—" ““(   )   In exercising the duty under s...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c549-50GC (Link to this contribution) Sometimes when words come out of my mouth I instantly know that somebody will leap up and ask me to ...
Lord Greaves | 679 c550GC (Link to this contribution) I was about to compliment the Minister for being perceptive. However, I have made the point and I be...
Lord Greaves | 679 c594GC (Link to this contribution) Is this in response to a request made to local authorities to let the department know if they were i...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c592-4GC (Link to this contribution) I set myself the challenge this afternoon, that, when we reached this stage in the Bill, I should se...
Lord Lucas | 679 c585GC (Link to this contribution) I add my voice to the argument. As regards dates of birth changing, they change all the time. My lat...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c584GC (Link to this contribution) I would not like anybody to go away with the impression that I was in favour of identity cards. I kn...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c584GC (Link to this contribution) All this points to the fact that this is premature and that we should wait until the whole debate ab...
Lord Norton of Louth | 679 c584-5GC (Link to this contribution) I had not intended to speak until I heard the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours. He ...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c582GC (Link to this contribution) The noble Baroness used the words, ““vulnerability of signatures””. Could she explain what she means...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c583-4GC (Link to this contribution) I do not know whether the noble Lord is asking me a question or if he is waiting for the Minister to...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c576GC (Link to this contribution) If 29 per cent of people are opting out, it is working very well.
Baroness Hanham | 679 c575GC (Link to this contribution) I have a great deal of sympathy with the amendment tabled by my noble friend. I am suffering from am...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c571-2GC (Link to this contribution) I will read the answer, because this is a question of when is 11 days not 11 days? I hope that it wi...
Lord Hanningfield | 679 c573GC (Link to this contribution) I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply which I shall need to examine. There seems to have ...
Lord Greaves | 679 c568-9GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 50B:"Page 7, leave out lines 40 to 42." The noble Lord said: I am grateful for ...
Lord Greaves | 679 c570GC (Link to this contribution) Along with all the statistics that the Electoral Commission collects, will it collect statistics on ...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c565GC (Link to this contribution) I take the noble Lord’s point. However, he is heading into the world of those who are ex-directory a...
Lord Norton of Louth | 679 c565-6GC (Link to this contribution) I accept the noble Baroness’s point. However, there is an underlying difference of philosophy betwee...
Lord Garden | 679 c559-60GC (Link to this contribution) I shall explain, for the benefit of those who are clarifying, that the paragraphs are different. Par...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c563-4GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Hanningfield, for giving me the chance to explain a bit more. ...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c552-3GC (Link to this contribution) I begin by confirming to the noble Lord that the duty on electoral registration officers to maintain...
Lord Garden | 679 c553-5GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 47:"After Clause 9, insert the following new clause—" ““PROVISIONS AS TO MEMBE...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c556GC (Link to this contribution) Having re-read this, I agree that it leaves the issue to delegated authority. I am sure that we will...
Lord Evans of Temple Guiting | 679 c598GC (Link to this contribution) This may be a convenient moment for the Committee to adjourn until Tuesday next at 3.30 pm.
Baroness Hanham | 679 c535GC (Link to this contribution) At the risk of delaying this part of the debate, I wonder whether I might ask the noble Lord, Lord G...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c535GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, and I absolutely accept the principle behind what he ...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c535GC (Link to this contribution) I thought that Amendment No. 45A was in the same group. Forgive me.
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c536GC (Link to this contribution) I am sorry to interrupt the noble Lord, but there is nothing between him and anyone in this Committe...
Lord Greaves | 679 c536-7GC (Link to this contribution) I will withdraw it, but not necessarily on that basis, I am afraid. There is a simple disagreement h...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c543GC (Link to this contribution) The ambition behind the Bill is that we clarify and set out objectives. We have added further steps ...
Lord Rennard | 679 c549GC (Link to this contribution) What does the Minister mean by appropriate consultation on a matter such as this? It would be helpfu...
Lord Greaves | 679 c548-9GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 46:"Page 6, leave out lines 32 to 36." The noble Lord said: The amendment seeks...
Lord Greaves | 679 c548GC (Link to this contribution) I shall withdraw the amendment, but before I do so I point out that a problem may arise if people ge...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c545GC (Link to this contribution) Indeed, they can take the person off through the changes to the rolling register.
Baroness Hanham | 679 c545GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the Minister for offering to respond, as her response might also answer some of the...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c550GC (Link to this contribution) Will the Minister confirm whether the affirmative or negative resolution would be used?
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c595-6GC (Link to this contribution) I acknowledge what the noble Baroness is trying to do, and I want to address my noble friend’s amend...
Lord Greaves | 679 c590-2GC (Link to this contribution) This is a very important part of the Bill, as other Members of the Committee have said. It is either...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c596GC (Link to this contribution) My noble friend has said that the Government will try to ““mitigate against”” it; that is, take into...
Lord Rennard | 679 c585-9GC (Link to this contribution) I wonder if I am one of the few Members of the Committee who intended speaking on this group of amen...
Lord Rennard | 679 c579GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful for those answers. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdr...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c578-9GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Rennard, for proposing the amendments. On Amendment No. 56, th...
Lord Rennard | 679 c577-8GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 55:"After Clause 12, insert the following new clause—" ““MANNER OF VOTING OF P...
Lord Norton of Louth | 679 c577GC (Link to this contribution) I was coming to that point. Therefore, it is not harmless. I stand by the basic principle that under...
Lord Hanningfield | 679 c571GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 51:"Page 8, line 28, leave out ““fifth”” and insert ““eleventh””" The noble Lor...
Lord Greaves | 679 c572-3GC (Link to this contribution) I welcome the view of the Government on this: I apologise to the noble Lord, Lord Hanningfield. I ha...
Lord Norton of Louth | 679 c573-4GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 54:"After Clause 12, insert the following new clause—" ““ELECTORAL REGISTER (1...
Lord Brougham and Vaux | 679 c568GC (Link to this contribution) In calling Amendment No. 50B, the Marshalled List says,"““leave out lines 40 to 42””," which should...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c567GC (Link to this contribution) I agree absolutely in principle with the amendment. We think that we have achieved that in paragraph...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c570GC (Link to this contribution) I am so sorry: I was completely distracted. Perhaps the noble Lord will repeat his question.
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c565GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the noble Baroness. This is not about being ex-directory; it is about protecting ve...
Lord Norton of Louth | 679 c565GC (Link to this contribution) I am sorry to interrupt the noble Baroness. I take a slightly different view than has been taken so ...
Lord Greaves | 679 c567GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 50A:"Page 7, line 37, at end insert—" ““(   )   In an election in which candid...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c566GC (Link to this contribution) We do not want to prescribe that people have to vote in a particular way. However, the noble Lord is...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c560-1GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful for the noble Lord’s clarification. However, Amendments Nos. 113 and 114, tabled by th...
Lord Garden | 679 c561-2GC (Link to this contribution) I am most grateful. I am a better drafter than I knew. The Minister got close to giving a Second Re...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c555-6GC (Link to this contribution) Amendments Nos. 113 and 114 tabled in my name are linked with this, because they follow the same lin...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c556-9GC (Link to this contribution) I have listened carefully to the arguments and begin by saying to the noble Lord, Lord Garden, that ...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c598GC (Link to this contribution) I am sorry to interrupt the noble Baroness. After the first year when the electoral register in Nort...
Lord Greaves | 679 c535GC (Link to this contribution) The noble Baroness is speaking to Amendment No. 45A, which is now in a separate group—the list has b...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c540GC (Link to this contribution) I will intervene. As I understand it, ““more than one occasion”” means twice or more. That is effect...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c539-40GC (Link to this contribution) I am aware that the Electoral Commission is concerned about the number of amendments tabled regardin...
Lord Greaves | 679 c537-9GC (Link to this contribution) I have three amendments in this group, the first of which perhaps is not too important. My second am...
Lord Norton of Louth | 679 c543-4GC (Link to this contribution) I was not expecting my drafting amendment to attract so much attention. I hate to think what debate ...
Lord Norton of Louth | 679 c544GC (Link to this contribution) If there is a problem with my amendment and it is found wanting, there is an opportunity to come bac...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c541GC (Link to this contribution) Perhaps I may suggest that the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, who knows a lot about these matters on the ...
Lord Greaves | 679 c543GC (Link to this contribution) I hope that the Minister will answer a quick question before I deal with my amendment at the relevan...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c549GC (Link to this contribution) As the noble Lord will know, the difficulty is that this is a ““you can’t win”” situation. Governmen...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c546-7GC (Link to this contribution) Electoral law does not specify that the canvass form is addressed or sent to a particular person, an...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c547-8GC (Link to this contribution) There is nothing between us here, but we believe that the way in which the amendment is framed would...
Lord Greaves | 679 c547GC (Link to this contribution) There are some important issues here which I do not think the Minister has yet tackled completely. I...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c550GC (Link to this contribution) I confirm that the affirmative resolution would be used.
Baroness Hanham | 679 c595GC (Link to this contribution) Would the Minister accept the idea of our Amendment No. 57, which proposes that the pilot should be ...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c595GC (Link to this contribution) Again, is there not a danger that some EROs in some of the areas chosen for the pilots might say, ““...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c595GC (Link to this contribution) That would form a key part of looking at whether our pilots would be of value. My argument is that t...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c595GC (Link to this contribution) The responses were not spontaneous in that sense. We asked whether certain areas would be interested...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c596-7GC (Link to this contribution) I was not seeking to mitigate against the data, but to mitigate against the concerns raised by, for ...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c584GC (Link to this contribution) When I sat down after my last intervention I was passed a note by a Commissioner of Her Majesty’s Tr...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c582GC (Link to this contribution) Has the noble Lord ever seen a doctor’s signature? Has he seen some of the signatures that appear? A...
Lord Campbell-Savours | 679 c582-3GC (Link to this contribution) I was not going to speak until the noble Baroness used those words ““vulnerability of signature””. I...
Lord Elder | 679 c589-90GC (Link to this contribution) I speak to Amendment No. 80, to which I added my name, and to the two associated amendments. This is...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c579-82GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 57:"Before Clause 13, insert the following new clause—" ““REGISTRATION: POSTAL...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c576-7GC (Link to this contribution) That is a valid view. The argument could equally be expressed: of the 71 per cent who do not opt out...
Lord Norton of Louth | 679 c577GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful for that constructive response, which I would be happy to discuss with the Minister. I...
Lord Greaves | 679 c570-1GC (Link to this contribution) I think that that was a provisional ““yes””. I will badger the noble Baroness to make sure that the ...
Lord Greaves | 679 c567-8GC (Link to this contribution) I am most grateful for that answer. The Minister’s understanding of the intricacy of all this is muc...
Lord Greaves | 679 c570GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the Minister. I think that she has persuaded me on the date of registration. Is it ...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c564-5GC (Link to this contribution) I am sorry to intervene, but I have suddenly thought of a question. The Minister has answered the po...
Lord Hanningfield | 679 c566GC (Link to this contribution) I thank the noble Baroness for all that; we have had an interesting discussion about this whole area...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c566GC (Link to this contribution) Indeed, we will discuss those points as I know exactly where the noble Lord is heading on the matter...
Lord Garden | 679 c561GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the Minister for her, as ever, helpful approach. I still express my surprise that w...
Lord Greaves | 679 c563GC (Link to this contribution) My name appears on Amendments Nos. 49 and 50. I am not quite sure why it appears on both, but it pro...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c564GC (Link to this contribution) I can clarify that absolutely; they would become part of the normal process. I can see what the nobl...
Lord Hanningfield | 679 c564GC (Link to this contribution) To clarify completely: we were under the impression from our reading of it that, if you were refused...
Lord Greaves | 679 c550-3GC (Link to this contribution) moved Amendment No. 46A:"Page 6, line 37, at end insert—" ““(3)   Each registration officer shall ...
Lord Greaves | 679 c553GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful for everything that the Minister has said, especially her first confirmation, which wi...
Lord Garden | 679 c559GC (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. There seemed to be a misapprehension, in that the Mini...
Baroness Ashton of Upholland | 679 c559GC (Link to this contribution) The joy of Committee is that you always get your flow interrupted. If nothing else, it gives you tim...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c598GC (Link to this contribution) I am sure we will come back to that. We have had an interesting and helpful debate. We want as near ...
Baroness Hanham | 679 c597-8GC (Link to this contribution) I thank the Minister for that detailed reply and all noble Lords who have taken part in the debate. ...
Subjects
Disclosure of information Armed forces Administration Fraud Elections Electoral register Mental illness Pilot schemes Personation Multiple occupation Proof of identity Registration Students
Legislation
Electoral Registration Bill 2005-06
Link
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