§ 15. Mr. Sydney Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for the next electoral registers to be published as early as possible before 15th February, 1973.
§ Mr. CarlisleSince elections to the new county councils are to take place in March, electoral registration officers can be counted on to make special efforts to publish early next year.
§ Mr. ChapmanI am grateful to my hon. and learned Friend for that reply. As these elections are held 28 days after publication of the electoral registers, and as the electoral registers invariably do not come out before 15th February, will he give an undertaking that they come out and are published at least on 1st February?
§ Mr. CarlisleThe 15th February is the latest date for publication of electoral registers. They can, of course, be published earlier. I am glad to tell my hon. Friend that, as a result of representations which have been made, the Government have decided that the proposed date of 15th March for the elections should be postponed.