HC Deb 06 March 1928 vol 161 cc227-8
41. Mr. JAMES STEWART

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health if he is aware that in a municipal burgh the registration officer is required to see that a person who has more than one qualification for the local government franchise is only registered once for such franchise in such burgh; and whether it is the intention of the Government to amend the franchise legislation so as to secure that females, who can only vote once at a Parliamentary election, will only be registered once?

Captain ELLIOT

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, as far as concerns town council elections in any burgh, or parish council elections in a burgh comprising a single parish undivided into wards. Legislation to provide that no woman shall be registered for more than one Parliamentary constituency (apart from a university constituency) is not at present contemplated.

42. Mr. J. STEWART

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether, apart from females who are entitled to be registered as Parliamentary electors in respect of a university qualification, he can state the number of females in Glasgow who are registered, or qualified to be registered, in more than one Parliamentary division; whether he is aware that such females, although registered more than once, are only allowed under the present Statutes to vote once at a General Election; whether he has any information whether any females voted at the last General Election more than once; and, if so, what steps, if any, he proposes to take in the matter?

Captain ELLIOT

The estimated number of females referred to in the first part of the question is 11,396. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. I have no information that any females voted more than once (excluding votes in respect of university constituencies) at the last General Election. The last part of the question does not, therefore, arise.

Mr. PRINGLE

What steps are taken to prevent voters voting twice?

Captain ELLIOT

That is a very large question, in which the whole of the Representation of the People Act is concerned.