§ 33. Mr. Graham Allen (Nottingham, North)What proposals the Electoral Commission has to use e-democracy to improve low levels of participation. [85602]
§ Mr. A. J. Beith (representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission)I understand that the Electoral Commission recently submitted its response to the Government's consultation paper on a policy for electronic democracy. It welcomed consideration of the role of technology in promoting participation, but underlined that the application of new methods of voting alone could not be relied upon to increase election turnout. The Electoral Commission will continue to evaluate the operation and impact of electronic schemes that were piloted at local elections. It will also use new technologies to support its voter awareness activities when appropriate.
§ Mr. AllenEvery elector can now help us to make better law in this place, in that we can now put pre-legislative scrutiny online. Any electors watching that webcast can e-mail back to us their experiences and views to help to create better law. However, although online pre-legislative scrutiny will be available throughout the United Kingdom—and, indeed, the globe—it is not yet available to hon. Members in this place. We are the last people to be allowed access to it. I know that this is a matter of concern to the right hon. Gentleman. Will he tell the House what he has managed to do to allow Members access to pre-legislative scrutiny of Bills? Will he also commend this example of e-democracy, which will help to tackle some of the 533 problems of low participation by the electorate by allowing them to enter this place and make a genuine contribution to law making?
§ Mr. BeithI can indeed commend the idea that the hon. Gentleman advocates, but it does not fall within the responsibilities of the Electoral Commission or, indeed, of the Speaker's Committee.
§ Mr. Steve Webb (Northavon)I notice that my right hon. Friend's response to the question about participation was framed principally in terms of electronic voting. Does he accept that the real problem relates not so much to what happens on the day of a general election as to what happens in the four or five years in between them? Can he ensure that, when the commission considers these issues, it looks more at what happens in between elections than at what happens on polling day?
§ Mr. BeithYes, I believe that the commission is very conscious of that issue. Indeed, my reply implied that the mere introduction of other mechanisms for voting will not, by itself, deal with the problem of low voter turnout.