HC Deb 26 July 1950 vol 478 cc450-2
53. Mr. Keeling

asked the Minister of Defence how many units were visited by the committee investigating the failure of about half the persons entitled to the Service vote to register; and what was the constitution of the committee.

Mr. Shinwell

As I informed the hon. Member in the House on 24th May, it is not the practice to publish details of Departmental committees. I am satisfied that the recent investigation into the arrangements for electoral registration of Service voters was exhaustive and thorough.

Mr. Keeling

Could the right hon. Gentleman say how the matter was investigated? Were units visited or not?

Mr. Shinwell

That is asking for a lot of detail which I could not furnish in reply to questions.

Mr. Keeling

I asked for one fact.

56. Mr. Keeling

asked the Minister of Defence whether he has now considered the suggestion that unit commanders, instead of certifying annually that the procedure for electoral registration has been carried out, should be required to certify how many men have and have not applied for registration; and what conclusion he has reached on this proposal.

Mr. Shinwell

Yes, Sir. This suggestion has been considered, but it would involve too great an increase in administrative work. It has, therefore, been decided that a check shall be carried out in all units once a year in good time before the annual electoral register is closed, to find out which Service men and women have not yet registered. Those who have not registered but are eligible to vote, or will become eligible while serving, are to be given declaration forms and instructed how to use them.

Mr. Keeling

Will the Secretary of State say why the proposed new return, which might be much more effective, would cause any more work than the existing return, which has proved to be useless, or than the proposed new system, which will certainly cause a great deal of work?

Mr. Shinwell

I went very thoroughly into the proposals made by the hon. Gentleman, and I am much obliged to him for letting me have them, but I can assure him that after an exhaustive examination we discovered it would be very much better to proceed in this way. Anyway, we shall try, and if it does not succeed, obviously we shall have to look at the matter again.