Sir LEICESTER HARMSWORTHasked the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware of the difficulties experienced by the electorate of Melness, Sutherland, in registering their votes in Parliamentary, educational, and other elections; and what steps he proposes to take to compel the establishment of a polling booth on these occasions within easy reach of the electorate?
1059W
§ Mr. CLYDEI have been asked by my right hon. Friend to answer this question. As regards Parliamentary elections, I would beg to refer the hon. Baronet to Section 31 (2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1918, as applied to Scotland by Section 43 (17). Under these provisions, it is open to a local authority or to not less than thirty electors in a constituency to make a representation to the Lord Advocate that the polling districts or polling places do not meet the reasonable requirements of the electors. No such representation has been received in regard to the district referred to in the question. As regards elections for the education authority, I would beg to refer the hon. Baronet to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland gave to his question on this subject on the 19th instant. The responsibility of providing polling facilities at local government elections rests with the county or town council, as the case may be.