Electoral Administration Bill. Second reading debate. Amendment negatived on division (166 to 374). Main question agreed to on question. Programme motion on Committee stage, Report Stage, Third reading and any other proceedings agreed to on question (formal). Queens consent signified. Money resolution agreed to on question (formal).

Electoral Administration Bill. Second reading debate. Amendment negatived on division (166 to 374). Main question agreed to on question. Programme motion on Committee stage, Report Stage, Third reading and any other proceedings agreed to on question (formal). Queens consent signified. Money resolution agreed to on question (formal).

The Minister talks about the choice of using postal voting, but one of the awkward aspects of the system is the fact that people never quite know when their postal votes will arrive. Have the Government considered having a central point in each constituency at which people would be able...

The Minister talks about the choice of using postal voting, but one of the awkward aspects of the system is the fact that people never quite know when their postal votes will arrive. Have the Government considered having a central point in each constituency at which people would be able...

The Minister may have a point, judging by what happened with the unintended consequences of another aspect of the Representation of the People Act 2000. I am sure that she did not intend to disfranchise a large proportion of service personnel at the last election, but that was the effect...

The Minister may have a point, judging by what happened with the unintended consequences of another aspect of the Representation of the People Act 2000. I am sure that she did not intend to disfranchise a large proportion of service personnel at the last election, but that was the effect...

I agree entirely with my hon. Friend. I hope that my right hon. and learned Friend will not rush headlong into single signature registration. I trust that she will give the matter careful thought. If pilots are to take place, I make the specific request that there should be no...

I agree entirely with my hon. Friend. I hope that my right hon. and learned Friend will not rush headlong into single signature registration. I trust that she will give the matter careful thought. If pilots are to take place, I make the specific request that there should be no...

I appreciate my hon. Friend’s point that electoral registration officers should measure up and perform well, but given the profile of the people missing from the register is it not likely that those in areas where there are larger numbers of students and poor people will suffer discrimination? We should...

I appreciate my hon. Friend’s point that electoral registration officers should measure up and perform well, but given the profile of the people missing from the register is it not likely that those in areas where there are larger numbers of students and poor people will suffer discrimination? We should...

I shall shortly be coming to the question of student registration. Clear direction should be given about the use of door-to-door canvassing, which was widely and successfully used in the past. The practice has diminished over recent years, mainly on cost grounds, but electoral registration officers should be given specific...

I shall shortly be coming to the question of student registration. Clear direction should be given about the use of door-to-door canvassing, which was widely and successfully used in the past. The practice has diminished over recent years, mainly on cost grounds, but electoral registration officers should be given specific...

I get the impression that the Government came to power full of great ideas for reforming and improving the electoral system, but so far there has not been much progress—or at least only in limited areas. The Government have already introduced two major changes to the electoral system and the...

I get the impression that the Government came to power full of great ideas for reforming and improving the electoral system, but so far there has not been much progress—or at least only in limited areas. The Government have already introduced two major changes to the electoral system and the...

The hon. Gentleman says that there are unintended consequences when the Government take action, and I was simply muttering—my apologies for doing so—that that is why we want to pilot the introduction of individual identifiers, not rush into things wholesale, thus causing what happened in Northern Ireland, where we had...

The hon. Gentleman says that there are unintended consequences when the Government take action, and I was simply muttering—my apologies for doing so—that that is why we want to pilot the introduction of individual identifiers, not rush into things wholesale, thus causing what happened in Northern Ireland, where we had...

: No work is being done on the competency or professionalism of registration staff. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that that needs addressing, too?

: No work is being done on the competency or professionalism of registration staff. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that that needs addressing, too?

I echo those thoughts. The status of electoral registration officers should be recognised. Their pay and training should be increased because they are doing a great job in difficult circumstances. They take the blame for inefficiency and under-registration, yet that is often the fault of the local authority for not...

I echo those thoughts. The status of electoral registration officers should be recognised. Their pay and training should be increased because they are doing a great job in difficult circumstances. They take the blame for inefficiency and under-registration, yet that is often the fault of the local authority for not...

There are contrasting approaches to registration. In north Wales, I receive one letter a year about registration, whereas in London I receive three, as well as someone coming to my door. We need a more uniform approach to encourage people to register, and many local authorities could do much more.

There are contrasting approaches to registration. In north Wales, I receive one letter a year about registration, whereas in London I receive three, as well as someone coming to my door. We need a more uniform approach to encourage people to register, and many local authorities could do much more.

I concur with my hon. Friend. The Minister referred to minimum standards. May I respectfully ask that minimum standards be high, transparent and readily understood by elected representatives and the public? Local authority electoral administrative performance should be made available to MPs and the public and should be in league...

I concur with my hon. Friend. The Minister referred to minimum standards. May I respectfully ask that minimum standards be high, transparent and readily understood by elected representatives and the public? Local authority electoral administrative performance should be made available to MPs and the public and should be in league...

indicated assent.

indicated assent.

I am grateful to the Minister for her nod of assent. Secondly, we need a careful examination of what action the Government took after they were warned in 2004, before the general election. Thirdly, we need the Government’s proposals on how to ensure that such things never happen again. The...

I am grateful to the Minister for her nod of assent. Secondly, we need a careful examination of what action the Government took after they were warned in 2004, before the general election. Thirdly, we need the Government’s proposals on how to ensure that such things never happen again. The...

I thank my hon. Friend for making that point, which I shall address in a moment. The allowance includes six words in Welsh and six words in English. My compatriots have a reputation for being verbose and using three words where one word will do in English, and the extra...

I thank my hon. Friend for making that point, which I shall address in a moment. The allowance includes six words in Welsh and six words in English. My compatriots have a reputation for being verbose and using three words where one word will do in English, and the extra...

I commend that policeman. The way to resolve the problem is by not allowing campaigning within a certain proximity to polling stations. I do not see why the Government have not taken the issue on board and included such a measure in the Bill. It seems obvious that people want...

I commend that policeman. The way to resolve the problem is by not allowing campaigning within a certain proximity to polling stations. I do not see why the Government have not taken the issue on board and included such a measure in the Bill. It seems obvious that people want...

The Scottish National party and Plaid Cymru offer a qualified welcome to this important Bill, which is a modest but useful step towards democratic renewal. My hon. Friends and I will not support the reasoned amendment, if it comes to a vote. In Wales, there is a wealth of propositions...

The Scottish National party and Plaid Cymru offer a qualified welcome to this important Bill, which is a modest but useful step towards democratic renewal. My hon. Friends and I will not support the reasoned amendment, if it comes to a vote. In Wales, there is a wealth of propositions...

I generally welcome the Bill, but I am concerned about some provisions. I am pleased that the Government are moving towards individual registration through the use of personal identifiers. The use of an identifying signature is important, particularly for postal voting. I am pleased that the Government are not rushing...

I generally welcome the Bill, but I am concerned about some provisions. I am pleased that the Government are moving towards individual registration through the use of personal identifiers. The use of an identifying signature is important, particularly for postal voting. I am pleased that the Government are not rushing...

Like other hon. Members, I begin by paying a warm tribute to my hon. Friend the new Member for Livingston (Mr. Devine), who is not in his seat at present. He gave a very good account of himself this evening. The Bill is important not least because it begins to...

Like other hon. Members, I begin by paying a warm tribute to my hon. Friend the new Member for Livingston (Mr. Devine), who is not in his seat at present. He gave a very good account of himself this evening. The Bill is important not least because it begins to...