HC Deb 22 November 1951 vol 494 cc557-9
43. Mr. Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend the Representation of the People Acts to make it legally obligatory for all people to cast their vote.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

No, Sir.

Mr. Lewis

While I appreciate that the idea contained in the Question may not be entirely satisfactory, does not the Home Secretary feel that some method should be adopted to make certain that everyone who is on the register should vote, and will he consider looking into this matter with a view to making it more easy for people to be able to cast their vote?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I think that the whole House will have noticed that the poll in the last two General Elections was over 80 per cent., which does not seem to indicate any need to make voting compulsory.

Mr. Raymond Gower

Will my right hon. and learned Friend, as an alternative, consider a simple intelligence test before people exercise their vote?

Mr. I. Mikardo

While resisting the very formidable temptation to comment on the last supplementary, may I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman if he is aware that a good deal of the difference between the figures of 83 per cent. or 84 per cent. and 100 per cent. is due to the register being so largely out-of-date, and will he now give further consideration to a return to the arrangement under which the register is made up half-yearly instead of yearly?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I cannot accept the implication in the first part of the supplementary question, but I will certainly consider what the hon. Gentleman has suggested.

4. Mr. Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to arrange for polling day at each General Election to be declared a national public holiday.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

No, Sir.

Mr. Lewis

Is the Home Secretary aware of the fact that, while postal voting is very helpful, many people who have to work get sudden orders before polling day which prevent them from going to the poll, and that if this suggestion were carried out it would mean that those at work would have an opportunity of casting their vote?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

There are a great many difficult aspects to this question. I have tried to consider them all and, having considered them, I did not think that a sufficient case had been made out for the proposal. I will willingly consider any point which the hon. Gentleman puts to me.

Captain Richard Pilkington

Was not the last occasion in fact a day of national rejoicing?