§ The registration officer, before registering any person as an elector, may, if he thinks it necessary, require that person either to produce a certificate of birth, or, if that is not practicable or convenient, to make a statutory declaration that such person has attained the required age and is a British subject, but where a declaration is so required any fee payable in connection therewith shall be paid by the registration officer as part of his registration expenses, and the declaration shall be exempt from stamp duty.
§ The registration officer shall during business hours allow any person to inspect and take a copy of any such declaration.
§ Amendments made: After the word "necessary" insert the word "(a)."
§ After the word "and" ["required age and"] insert the words, "(b) require that person to produce a certificate of naturalisation, or to make a statutory declaration that he."
§ Leave out the word "but" ["but where a declaration"] and begin a new paragraph.—[Sir G. Cave.]
Mr. HEALYI beg to move, at the end of Rule 33, to add the words,
Where for the purposes of this Act the age of any person is required to be proved by the production of a certificate of birth, any person shall, on presenting a written requisition in such form and containing such particulars as may be from time to time prescribed by the Local Government Board for England, Scotland, and Ireland as the case may be, and on payment of a fee of sixpence, be entitled to obtain a certified copy of the entry of birth of that person 2309 under the hand of the registrar or superintendent registrar having the custody thereof, and forms for such requisition shall on request be supplied without any charge by every registrar of births and deaths and by every superintendent registrar.I must apologise to the House for not having this Amendment on the Paper, but I have submitted a copy of it to the right hon. Gentleman. This Rule 33 empowers the registration officer if he thinks it necessary before registering any person as an elector to require that person to produce a certificate of birth, or if that is not practicable or convenient to make a Statutory declaration that such person has attained the required age. I think it will become absolutely necessary in a great many cases that a certificate of birth should be insisted upon. Nothing is more common than for over-zealous youths who want to vote to claim a vote before they are twenty-one. A certificate costs 3s. 6d. under the present law. My Amendment provides that it shall not cost more than 6d. That is the law for the purpose of national registration, and it is the law under the Education Act, so that the person who requires a certificate of birth is not put to the expense of 3s. 6d., which means a heavy tax upon poor people. The words of my Amendment are taken word for word from the National Registration Act.
§ Sir G. CAVEI think this is a practical proposition, and there is much to be said in its favour, but a large number of people may be required to apply for certificates, and this really puts an end to the fee. That may or may not be a good thing. I do not know what the effect upon the revenue would be
§ Sir G. CAVECertainly it ought to be considered. I have tried to get the Registrar-General here in order to consult him on the point, but the hon. Member only gave me a short notice of this proposal and I have not been able to obtain the presence of the Registrar-General. I am quite willing to see and to consult him with every disposition to accept the Amendment and, if there is no objection, the Government will bring it in in another place.
§ Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.