82. Mr. DUNDAS WHITEasked the Secretary for Scotland if he can state the number of unmarried men serving with the forces of the Crown who are Parliamentary but not local government electors in Glasgow, or if he can say whether the number of them is estimated to be about 30,000?
§ The SECRETARY for SCOTLAND (Mr. Munro)I understand that, so far as can be estimated at present, 30,000 naval and military voters will be on the Parliamentary but not on local government register in Glasgow. It is not possible to say how many of these are unmarried.
§ 84. Mr. GULLANDasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he can now say what is to be the qualifying date for the second electoral register; and whether he is issuing instructions for its preparation?
§ 86. Mr. GILBERTasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he can now make any statement as to instructions being issued to registration officers for the preparation of the second register of voters, so as to enable them to retain their existing staff and organisation for the preparation of the lists; whether he can state if the qualifying period for voters on the second register will be in October; and, if not, what date will it be?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Hayes Fisher)I am not at present in a position to say what the date of the qualifying period for the second register will be. As I stated, in answer to the question of the hon. Member for Newington West on the 1st instant, an Order in Council will be necessary, and as soon as it is issued instructions will be given to registration officers and a public announcement will be made in the Press.
§ 85. Mr. GULLANDasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that, in many constituencies, thousands of claims to be registered as electors have been made; whether these claims are being thoroughly inquired into by the registration officers; and whether he now expects that all the registers will be ready and issued on the 1st day of October?
§ Mr. FISHERI have no particular information as to the number of claims, but no doubt the lists of claims have been very much augmented in many areas, owing to the provision in the Order in Council, under which cards received from naval or military voters too late for the inclusion of the voters' names in the lists, were to be treated as claims, so that the registration of these voters should be secured. I have no reason to suppose that 1549 the registration officers will not make sufficient inquiry or that the registers will not be issued by the date prescribed. But the right hon. Gentleman will pardon me for reminding him that there is a war in progress, and that circumstances may occur which will nullify premature pronouncements.
§ Mr. T. M. HEALYIs the right hon. Gentleman speaking for Great Britain or for Great Britain and Ireland? Does his reply extend to Ireland?
§ Mr. FISHERThe reply seems to me to extend to Ireland as well.