§ 16. Sir Robert Rankinasked the Home Secretary whether he will consider favourably the proposal that civil servants serving overseas should, by post or by proxy, exercise the franchise?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonUnder the existing law a civil servant, like anyone else who has the necessary residence qualification and satisfies the Registration Officer that there is a probability of his being abroad at the time of an election, can appoint a proxy; but the suggestion, I understand, is that Crown servants who are not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, and therefore not entitled under the existing law to be registered for any constituency, should be given a special franchise, should be deemed to be resident in some constituency, and should be authorised to vote at any election in that constituency by post or by 1055 proxy. Such a substantive amendment of the franchise law would be outside the scope of the proposed legislation dealing with electoral machinery, and falls into the category of questions for discussion when proposals for electoral reform are under consideration.