Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Thursday Volume 507 11 March 2010 No. 55 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 11 March 2010 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2010 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 409 11 MARCH 2010 410 too important to be done on the cheap, and that there is House of Commons no substitute in many parts of the country and with many target groups for knocking on doors, finding out Thursday 11 March 2010 who lives there and making sure that they are registered to vote? The House met at half-past Ten o’clock Mr. Streeter: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right, and that is the responsibility of electoral returning officers throughout the country.The Electoral Commission PRAYERS is introducing better and clearer guidelines for them on the activity that it expects. The hon. Gentleman is [MR.SPEAKER in the Chair] absolutely right to say that we must find those young people and make sure that they are put on the electoral register so that they are at least given the opportunity to Oral Answers to Questions vote come polling day. Sir Robert Smith (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): One very worrying thing about young people not voting is that they are the people on whom the decisions ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE will have the longest-term effect. When I go into schools I find that enthusiasm for politics is great among the The hon. Member for South-West Devon, representing younger age group, so will the Electoral Commission the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, consider conducting research on whether a reduction in was asked— the voting age to 16 might engage people in the political system while they are at school and before they get lost? Voter Registration (Young People) Mr. Streeter: It is an interesting point, but I am afraid 1. Mr. Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): What that at the most recent general election only 37 per cent. estimate the Electoral Commission has made of the of those aged 18 to 25 could be bothered to vote, and number of people under 25 years old who are not until that percentage increases the case for 16-year-olds registered to vote. [321505] being given the right to vote has not been made. Mr. Gary Streeter (South-West Devon): The Electoral Voter Participation Commission informs me that it published its most recent national estimate for under-registration in England 2. John Robertson (Glasgow, North-West) (Lab): and Wales in 2005. This found that 16 per cent. of What steps the Electoral Commission plans to take to eligible 18 to 24-year-olds were not registered. However, maximise voter participation at the forthcoming recent research published by the commission found that general election. [321506] in a small number of case study areas approximately 56 per cent. of those under 25 years old were missing Mr. Streeter: The commission informs me that, to from the registers. The commission plans further research encourage voter registration ahead of the general election, on that issue. it will run a multi-media campaign using television, radio, press and online advertising. That activity will be Mr. Hollobone: Does my hon. Friend share my serious targeted at the groups that are less likely to be registered, concern and alarm, given that the implication of those including young people, students, certain ethnic minority shocking statistics is that hundreds of young people in communities, service personnel and UK citizens living Kettering, thousands of young people throughout overseas. Northamptonshire and tens of thousands of young people throughout our country will not be able to take John Robertson: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his part in voting for a change of Government at the next answer, but does he agree that although it is not illegal general election because they are not on the electoral not to vote, it is illegal not to give the registration officer register? the necessary information? Have we not have reached the point at which we should marry up the two? Mr. Streeter: My hon. Friend is absolutely right about that, and the Electoral Commission informs me Mr. Streeter: The House would have to consider that that it is planning a campaign, which will take place issue, and it would involve a change in the law. The before the next general election, with a range of activities Electoral Commission is always in the marketplace for targeted at young people. The campaign will include interesting ideas, and I shall make sure it is aware of the online advertising on sites that the group uses, such as hon. Gentleman’s representations, but in the end it will Facebook, along with advertising on television and be a matter for this House. radio and in magazines. Registration is an urgent matter, and my hon. Friend is right to draw the House’s attention Mr. Andrew Robathan (Blaby) (Con): I draw my hon. to it. Friend’s attention to column 288 at yesterday’s Prime Minister’s questions, when it was pointed out that the Sir Peter Soulsby (Leicester, South) (Lab): I welcome Army Families Federation has carried out trials showing the measures that the hon. Gentleman has just mentioned, that the majority of troops serving overseas will be but does he agree that registering people to vote is far unable to vote. In order to maximise voter participation, 411 Oral Answers11 MARCH 2010 Oral Answers 412 will my hon. Friend speak again to the Electoral Mr. Denis MacShane (Rotherham) (Lab): Through Commission and take on board the point that I have the hon. Member for South-West Devon (Mr. Streeter), made before, which is that there should be one registration I request that the National Audit Office look particularly— when people join the armed forces and an encouragement [HON.MEMBERS: “Wrong one!”] I am terribly sorry—I to cast proxy votes, so that when they serve their country mean the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee; abroad, which involves the possibility of dying for their forgive me. Will the hon. Gentleman look specifically at country, they have the opportunity to vote? how DFID money in Sierra Leone is spent? An hon. Member and other friends have just come back from Mr. Streeter: That is a very important matter, and the there with the most alarming stories of diversion of Electoral Commission is extremely alive to it. The DFID aid into the pockets of Ministers down there, commission is working closely with the Ministry of and we really need to get Sierra Leone under full Justice, the Ministry of Defence, Royal Mail, the British transparent audit. Forces Post Office and electoral administrators to ensure that everything is done to improve the situation. Given Mr. Leigh: That is an extremely good point. I shall of the tight time scales involved in exercising a postal vote course relay the right hon. Gentleman’s point of view to once a general election is called, my hon. Friend makes the Comptroller and Auditor General, and I am sure he an extremely important point that proxy voting may would be very happy to undertake a study in Sierra be the right answer. The commission is certainly aware Leone if that were indeed appropriate. of that. PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION CHURCH COMMISSIONERS The Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission was asked— The hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked— DFID Audit Church Music 3. Hugh Bayley (City of York) (Lab): How many days National Audit Office staff spent in developing countries when auditing the expenditure of the 4. Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): What the Department for International Development in 2009. policy is of the Church Commissioners on encouraging the use of music as part of church and cathedral [321508] worship. [321509] Mr. Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): I have been asked to reply. The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Sir Stuart During 2009, National Audit Office staff spent a Bell): The Church’s Liturgical Commission promotes total of 183 days in developing countries as part of the and develops understanding of liturgy and its use in the NAO’s financial and value for money audit work relating Church. The commission sees music as an integral part to DFID. That total includes days spent in developing of the Church’s worship, not an optional extra. countries both by NAO employees and by employees of audit firms that the NAO engaged to assist it with its Michael Fabricant: Is the hon. Gentleman aware that audit of DFID’s annual resource accounts. Lichfield cathedral is the only cathedral to boast an entire orchestra, which, three times a year, gives public Hugh Bayley: That amounts to barely two days per performances of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and so on, country in which DFID has programmes—programmes but also, on other occasions, performs for worship? that involve billions of pounds. Today the International Through you, Mr. Speaker, may I invite the entire Development Committee published its annual report House here today to come to one of these concerts in on DFID’s performance and said that although it welcomes Lichfield cathedral, although Members will have to pay the continued rise in DFID’s budget, it is concerned for their own tickets? that DFID’s staff is being reduced, making it harder to ensure that money is well spent in the field. Will the hon.