§ 44. Mr. BOTTOMLEYasked the President of the Local Government Board the total number of names upon the absent voters' lists at the date of the General Election and the number who recorded their votes?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Major Astor)May I ask the indulgence of the House for this rather long answer?
HON. MEMBERSCirculate it!
The following is the statement referred to:—
The Return as to the Parliamentary and local government electors which was recently issued shows for each constituency the number of naval and military voters on the first Parliamentary register under the Representation of the People Act. The total number for the United Kingdom was 3,900,135. This number would probably not differ materially from the number of absent voters. The number of naval and military voters in constituencies in England and Wales in which there were contests at the General Election was 2,916,000. Approximately 2,400,000 ballot papers were issued to absent voters, of which 830,000 were included in the count of votes. The corresponding figures for constituencies in Scotland are 324,000 and 104,000. I have not the figures for Irish constituencies.
61. Major MALONEasked the president of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the heavy expenses which local authorities have been called upon to incur under the Representation of the People Act, he will be prepared to make representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the whole expenses of compiling and printing the absent voters' list should be borne by the Treasury, more especially as such lists were exclusively compiled for Parliamentary purposes?
§ Major ASTORI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given on the 20th March to the hon. Member for Devonport.