§ 14. Major Vernonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the distinction between Mrs. and Miss is to be made in the new electoral registers; and whether any other distinguishing titles will be inserted.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Ede)No, Sir. This would mean altering a large proportion of the existing entries in the standing type of the register, and I regret that this is not practicable at the present time, in view of the shortage of labour in the printing trade.
§ Major VernonWill the Minister consider on some future occasion introducing this arrangement, which will be of great benefit to many people?
§ Mr. EdeI have the point in mind, and I will look at it, but I do not think that the difficulty is as great as is sometimes made out.
§ Mr. Cecil PooleCan my right hon. Friend say how he can prevent Miss becoming Mrs.?
§ Mr. EdeI have no desire to do that, in view of the Report of the Commission on Population. In my experience, and 640 I have had about 45 years of dealing with these registers, the best thing to do if one is in doubt is to describe the lady as Mrs.
§ 16. Mr. Douglas Houghtonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to encourage all men and women entitled to the vote to make sure that their names appear on the electoral lists to be published at the end of this month.
§ Mr. EdeI propose to broadcast on this theme on 28th July. There will also be an official advertisement in the national Press; and I have asked registration officers to arrange all possible local publicity as well.
§ Colonel Gomme-DuncanWill the right hon. Gentleman's colleague, the Secretary of State for Scotland, also broadcast on it?
§ Sir W. WakefieldCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether, according to his reply, local authorities are empowered to advertise in the local Press in the same way as the right hon. Gentleman is advertising in the national Press?