Clause 62, agreed to as amended. Clause 63, discussed with Government new clause 20 (Decent homes standard), new clause 60 (Extension of Awaab’s law to the private rented sector), and Government new schedule 1 (Decent homes standard), disagreed to. Clauses 54 to 56, 64 and 65 agreed to as amended. Clause 66 agreed to. Amendment to clause 67 negatived on division (6 votes to 8). Government amendments made to clause 67, which was agreed to as amended. Schedule 4 agreed to as amended. Clause 68 agreed to as amended. Clause 69 agreed to. Government new clauses 1 to 52 agreed to. New clause 53 (Restriction on contractual exclusion or limit of rights of tenant under this Act) debated and withdrawn. New clause 56 (Extending discretion of court in possession claims) debated and withdrawn. New clause 57 (Extension of rent repayment orders) negatived on division (5 votes to 7). New clause 58 (Requirement to state the amount of rent when advertising residential premises) negatived on division (6 votes to 7). New clause 59 (Not inviting or encouraging bids for rent) negatived on division (6 votes to 7). New clause 60 (Extension of Awaab’s law to the private rented sector) negatived on division (6 votes to 7). New clause 61 (Ending blanket bans on renting to families with children or those in receipt of benefits) negatived on division (6 votes to 7). New clause 62 (Limit on amount of rent that a residential landlord can request in advance) negatived on division (6 votes to 7). New clause 67 (Repeal of mandatory grounds for possession) debated and withdrawn. Government new schedule (Decent homes standard) agreed to. Bill, as amended, to be reported (Bill 15). Committee adjourned. Written evidence reported to the House.

Clause 62, agreed to as amended. Clause 63, discussed with Government new clause 20 (Decent homes standard), new clause 60 (Extension of Awaab’s law to the private rented sector), and Government new schedule 1 (Decent homes standard), disagreed to. Clauses 54 to 56, 64 and 65 agreed to as amended....

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether a person who has to temporarily surrender their driving license to DVLA on health grounds will be provided with alternative documentation to use as ID at an election during that period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether a person who has to temporarily surrender their driving license to DVLA on health grounds will be provided with alternative documentation to use as ID at an election during that period.

Motion that the draft Voter Identification Regulations 2022, which were laid before this House on 3 November, be approved. Agreed to on division (298 to 199).

Motion that the draft Voter Identification Regulations 2022, which were laid before this House on 3 November, be approved. Agreed to on division (298 to 199).

I beg to move,

That the draft Voter Identification Regulations 2022, which were laid before this House on 3 November, be approved.

This statutory instrument is a key part of how we implement the voter identification policy in the Elections Act 2022. This area was debated extensively during the passage of the...

I beg to move,

That the draft Voter Identification Regulations 2022, which were laid before this House on 3 November, be approved.

This statutory instrument is a key part of how we implement the voter identification policy in the Elections Act 2022. This area was debated extensively during the passage of the...

The Minister mentions the Electoral Commission. It issued a press statement at the weekend that expressed continued concerns about the delays in the Government getting their act together on this policy. It said it was not now sure that all the considerations it wanted taken into account to ensure the...

The Minister mentions the Electoral Commission. It issued a press statement at the weekend that expressed continued concerns about the delays in the Government getting their act together on this policy. It said it was not now sure that all the considerations it wanted taken into account to ensure the...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his comments. We absolutely are thinking about how best to implement this policy. In the period while I have been in post, I have already met the Electoral Commission to talk about it. I have spoken to the Association of Electoral Administrators...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his comments. We absolutely are thinking about how best to implement this policy. In the period while I have been in post, I have already met the Electoral Commission to talk about it. I have spoken to the Association of Electoral Administrators...

I might be one of the minority on the Opposition Benches who think that what the Government are bringing forward is the right thing. The proof of pudding is in how the voter ID system works in Northern Ireland. The system sets the example for all the UK, and I...

I might be one of the minority on the Opposition Benches who think that what the Government are bringing forward is the right thing. The proof of pudding is in how the voter ID system works in Northern Ireland. The system sets the example for all the UK, and I...

I am extremely grateful to the hon. Gentleman for outlining the importance of these policy changes. I fear it may be the only thing we agree with coming from the Opposition Benches tonight, but he has made an important point and he speaks from experience and more than 15 years...

I am extremely grateful to the hon. Gentleman for outlining the importance of these policy changes. I fear it may be the only thing we agree with coming from the Opposition Benches tonight, but he has made an important point and he speaks from experience and more than 15 years...

As someone who served on the Elections Public Bill Committee, I know that the regulations that the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) referred to were actually brought in under a Labour Government. Might the Minister like to comment on that?

As someone who served on the Elections Public Bill Committee, I know that the regulations that the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) referred to were actually brought in under a Labour Government. Might the Minister like to comment on that?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I look forward to hearing Opposition Front Benchers’ comments in support of this statutory instrument, based on their previous support for strengthening the integrity of our democratic processes.

This SI also sets out the processes for how electors can apply for these documents, both...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I look forward to hearing Opposition Front Benchers’ comments in support of this statutory instrument, based on their previous support for strengthening the integrity of our democratic processes.

This SI also sets out the processes for how electors can apply for these documents, both...

I reassure the Minister that surely the Opposition will support this statutory instrument, because only three weeks ago, my Labour opponent was selected and as part of the rules for the hustings, people had to bring voter ID.

I reassure the Minister that surely the Opposition will support this statutory instrument, because only three weeks ago, my Labour opponent was selected and as part of the rules for the hustings, people had to bring voter ID.

My hon. Friend makes a significant intervention that highlights the importance of consistency, which I am sure will shortly be coming from those on the Opposition Front Bench. Showing photo ID is a part of day-to-day life already, and as the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) has already outlined,...

My hon. Friend makes a significant intervention that highlights the importance of consistency, which I am sure will shortly be coming from those on the Opposition Front Bench. Showing photo ID is a part of day-to-day life already, and as the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) has already outlined,...

I would like to say that it is a pleasure to speak in this debate, but frankly, I am sad that we have reached this point. It is a stain on Britain’s democratic history that, if the Government have their way with these regulations, we will take a historic step...

I would like to say that it is a pleasure to speak in this debate, but frankly, I am sad that we have reached this point. It is a stain on Britain’s democratic history that, if the Government have their way with these regulations, we will take a historic step...

Will the right hon. Member explain why, if the system is so bad, it is used in Labour selections?

Will the right hon. Member explain why, if the system is so bad, it is used in Labour selections?

I have just explained why this is such a tiny, not even significant, minuscule issue that the Government are trying to make hay over, when, in fact, we have fraud that results in people being terrorised by scammers pretending to be their banks. Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money is...

I have just explained why this is such a tiny, not even significant, minuscule issue that the Government are trying to make hay over, when, in fact, we have fraud that results in people being terrorised by scammers pretending to be their banks. Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money is...

We heard evidence from the police in the Bill Committee. They thought that the measures on voter ID and the extra measures that we are taking to avoid intimidation would make the Act really useful for them on polling day, so that they can get on with the job that...

We heard evidence from the police in the Bill Committee. They thought that the measures on voter ID and the extra measures that we are taking to avoid intimidation would make the Act really useful for them on polling day, so that they can get on with the job that...

I say to the hon. Member: show us the evidence. Where is the evidence of that? We have not seen the evidence, but we do know that people are choosing between heating and eating this winter. We do know that crime is on the rise and that people just do...

I say to the hon. Member: show us the evidence. Where is the evidence of that? We have not seen the evidence, but we do know that people are choosing between heating and eating this winter. We do know that crime is on the rise and that people just do...

I will make just a few quick comments. My seat of North Swindon, as part of the Swindon Borough Council area, was part of one of the initial pilots in 2017 or 2018, so I want to make a few observations. First, turnout was up, not down. Secondly, when the...

I will make just a few quick comments. My seat of North Swindon, as part of the Swindon Borough Council area, was part of one of the initial pilots in 2017 or 2018, so I want to make a few observations. First, turnout was up, not down. Secondly, when the...

The hon. Gentleman is misinterpreting the Labour rules, is he not? They do not require photo ID; they require any ID. They allow student ID, student bus cards and student railcards, all of which the Government have excluded in their gerrymandering efforts. Does he acknowledge that this Government have gerrymandered...

The hon. Gentleman is misinterpreting the Labour rules, is he not? They do not require photo ID; they require any ID. They allow student ID, student bus cards and student railcards, all of which the Government have excluded in their gerrymandering efforts. Does he acknowledge that this Government have gerrymandered...