Wednesday Volume 666 23 October 2019 No. 8 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 23 October 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 949 23 OCTOBER 2019 Oral Answers 950 Chris Elmore: I thank the Minister for his answer, but House of Commons may I press him further? The commissioners recommended that the rules on campaign funding are improved in the UK further to support confidence from the electorate. Wednesday 23 October 2019 Will the Minister set out a timetable of when he will finish these consultations and implement the commission’s The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock recommendations so that the electorate has faith in where the funding comes from for our elections in this country? PRAYERS Kevin Foster: I appreciate the constructive tone with which the hon. Gentleman has put his question. We [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] look to publish the consultation itself over the coming months. Wewill be engaging with a range of stakeholders, BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS including political parties, because we need to make sure that the system we come up with is not only robust, but fair, while also allowing those who just want to ELECTORAL COMMISSION stand up for their own community and engage in our The VICE-CHAMBERLAIN OF THE HOUSEHOLD reported democratic process to do so without having to consult to the House, That the Address, praying that Her Majesty lawyers to take part. will appoint Rob Vincent CBE to be an Electoral Commissioner with effect from 1 January 2020 for the Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): My hon. Friend period ending 31 December 2023, was presented to Her will be aware that Facebook has recently withdrawn Majesty, who was graciously pleased to comply with the four different networks that were thought to have interfered request. with elections in the United States and Israel, and perhaps—we do not know—the United Kingdom. Does Speaker’s Statement he think that is a good move or an irrelevant move by Facebook? Mr Speaker: I remind Members that the private Members’ Bill ballot book is open in the No Lobby Kevin Foster: We certainly welcome any moves being today until the rise of the House, when the ballot for taken by the social media giants to try to remove those this Session will close. The ballot draw will be held at who are looking to distort information or inappropriately 9 am tomorrow in Committee Room 10. I also remind influence elections. As part of the consultation we are right hon. and hon. Members that the ballot for the taking forward, we will try to achieve some consensus election of the Chair of the Treasury Committee, which about how we can have a modern and up-to-date set of is now being held in Committee Room 15, closes at rules that ensures people cannot go online to sidestep 1.15 pm. rules that are very strong in the physical world. Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab): Can the Minister confirm how many convictions there were for polling Oral Answers to Questions station fraud last year—exactly how many? Kevin Foster: I must say that perhaps it would have been better to ask that supplementary on the next CABINET OFFICE question, but I will just say that in building confidence in our electoral system, it is vital that we tackle a range The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was asked— of issues. If the hon. Gentleman wants to see what happens when people’s democratic rights are stolen via electoral fraud, he should talk to his hon. Friend the UK Elections: Overseas Funding Member for Poplar and Limehouse (Jim Fitzpatrick). 1. Chris Elmore (Ogmore) (Lab): What recent discussions Voter Identification his Department has had with the Electoral Commission on the effect of overseas funding of political (a) parties and (b) campaigns on the conduct of elections in the 2. Alex Norris (Nottingham North) (Lab/Co-op): UK. [900085] What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the number of enfranchised people The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office of the provisions on voter identification in the proposed (Kevin Foster): The Cabinet Office regularly engages legislation on electoral integrity. [900086] with the Electoral Commission on a range of issues, including strengthening the integrity of the electoral 3. Mr Bob Seely (Isle of Wight) (Con): What steps framework. We have committed to launch an electoral the Government are taking to improve the integrity of integrity consultation, which will seek to strengthen the electoral (a) processes and (b) systems. [900087] provisions that protect UK politics from foreign influence. We are currently holding discussions with regulators 10. Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con): What steps the and stakeholders,and we will be publishing the consultation Government are taking to improve the integrity of in the coming months. electoral (a) processes and (b) systems. [900095] 951 Oral Answers 23 OCTOBER 2019 Oral Answers 952 The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab): We General (Oliver Dowden): Voters deserve to have confidence seem to be importing a lot from across the pond. If it is in our democracy, so we will legislate to introduce voter not Trumpian trade deals weakening workers’ protections ID, in line with Northern Ireland and many other and opening our NHS to further privatisation, it is nations, and to provide greater security for postal and repressive voter ID laws that are well used by right-wing proxy votes. The pilots and the experience in Northern Republicans as an act of voter suppression. Is the Ireland showed no adverse effect on turnout. Minister ashamed to be part of a Government who are learning lessons from the US Republican party on voter Alex Norris: Over the last two years, more than 1,000 suppression? How many convictions have there been for people in pilot areas have lost their chance to vote due in-person voter fraud in the last year? to ID requirements, which is more than 30 times the number of allegations of polling station fraud across Oliver Dowden: We are not following the example of the whole country.Once this pilot is rolled out, thousands the United States; we are following the example set by upon thousands of people will lose their right to vote—a the last Labour Government, who introduced photographic disproportionate response. Is not the reality that this is voter identification in 2003, and it had no discernible just US-style voter suppression? impact on turnout. Oliver Dowden: My wife is Canadian. When I first Strength of the Union went to vote with her, she found it extraordinary that people could turn up at the ballot box without any form 4. Giles Watling (Clacton) (Con): What steps the of identification. Voter ID is what happens in Canada, Government are taking to strengthen the Union. Switzerland, France and other advanced democracies. [900088] As to the point about lower turnout. In the pilots we undertook, over 99% of people who wished to vote 5. Luke Graham (Ochil and South Perthshire) (Con): were able to do so. What steps the Government are taking to strengthen the Union. [900089] Mr Seely: I welcome the Government’s plans, but do they go far enough? The United States introduced the The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster Foreign Agents Registration Act in 1938 to protect that General (Oliver Dowden): The Government are committed country against covert interference from malign states. to strengthening the links between the four nations of Australia passed a similar Act in July 2018. Does the the Union. The Prime Minister is taking personal charge, Minister think we need a FARA in this country? as Minister for the Union, supported by the Cabinet Office. We have boosted spending across the Union, Oliver Dowden: My hon. Friend raises an important including a further £300 million of new growth deal point. The Home Office is reviewing legislation related funding, which will open up opportunities for cities and to hostile state activity following the Salisbury attacks. regions across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This is a thorough process to assess whether additional powers are required to clamp down on the activities of Giles Watling: We are arguably the greatest Union the hostile states that threaten the UK both here and overseas. world has ever seen. We have done so much for mankind As part of this we are considering the legislation of and democracy across the world for generations. Does likeminded international partners to see whether the my right hon. Friend agree that we would be foolish to UK would benefit from adopting something similar. throw away this most valuable of Unions on what I believe is a passing whim? Henry Smith: I welcome voter ID, which is commonplace Oliver Dowden: As ever, I agree with my hon. Friend. in many democracies, but for those who do not have an I am pleased to see that his powers of oration have not existing form of ID, such as a driving licence, what dimmed. Ours is the most successful political and economic provisions are the Government proposing? Union in history, and our four nations are safer, stronger and more prosperous together. We are deeply committed Oliver Dowden: My hon. Friend raises an important to keeping our family of nations together. point, and it is why local authorities will provide voters who lack the required ID with an alternative ID, free of Mr Speaker: Anybody would think the hon.