§ 11. Brigadier Petoasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department 1876 whether the committee which have been considering complaints of slowness of the counting of votes in certain constituencies, and kindred matters, at the recent General Election, has now reported; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EdeThe Electoral Conference is not a formal committee that presents formal reports. I have had the benefit of its advice on the counting of the votes and other matters, and there will be a further meeting next week. With regard to the last part of the Question, I have nothing to add at present to the answer which I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Fife, East (Mr. Stewart), on 6th April.
§ Brigadier PetoCan the Home Secretary say whether he will increase the allowance for those engaged in counting the votes, so as to enable there to be more men counting the votes in future than at the last Election?
Air-Commodore HarveyWhere the counting of votes is slow because of the small size of the town hall, will the right hon. Gentleman consider allowing the count to take place in another building which is of suitable size?
§ Mr. EdeThe place where the count takes place is a matter for the Returning Officer, and quite frequently it takes place in the halls of schools and similar places which may be more commodious than town halls in small towns.