§ Mr. KELLAWAYasked the Prime Minister if he will consider the advisability of having a Return submitted showing the number of plural voters in each Constituency in England and Wales?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Churchill)The Prime Minister has asked me to answer this question. I have considered this proposal before, but I am advised that it would be impossible to give such a return. The Register for any Constituency does not show which of the electors has a vote in another Constituency. It would be an impossible task to compare each name in each register with each name in every other register; and it would be equally impossible to make special inquiry with regard to each of the 7,000,000 names on the Registers.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if there is not in consequence a great deal of exaggeration made about the plural voters in the country?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYMay I ask whether it would not be a comparatively easy task to give these particulars in regard to each constituency?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am told it is not at all easy to give the information, but I think there is no doubt about the conclusions which could be drawn from the information, however obtained.
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will make a beginning by giving us the figures for the Universities and the City of London?