HC Deb 24 June 1975 vol 894 cc117-8W
Mr. Beith

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions were given to counting officers in the referendum as to whether or not a count should be made and a record kept of the number of "Yes" and "No" votes cast in individual parliamentary constituencies; and why, in view of the decision that the count should be on a county basis, separate figures for the con-

was the number of court recommendations and deportation orders for the years 1970 to 1974, inclusive; and how many of these were made in respect of Commonwealth citizens, citizens of the Irish Republic, and aliens.

Mr. Alexander W. Lyon

The relevant information is as follows:

stituency of Berwick upon Tweed were counted and published.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

The Chief Counting Officer issued guidance to all counting officers on the procedures necessary to meet the requirements of the Referendum Order 1975 in relation to the counting of votes and the publication of results. I am assured by the counting officer for the County of Northumberland that these procedures were carefully followed. Verification was carried out by districts and the ballot papers were then mixed before counting of the respective answers given by valid votes began. The only figures of "Yes" and "No" votes published by the counting officer related to the County of Northumberland as a whole, and no figures were kept or released for Berwick-upon-Tweed, or for any other district in the county, except of the number of people on the electoral register and the number of votes cast.

Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the number of votes cast in the referendum in each local government or equivalent district.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a Question from the hon. Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hind) on 23rd June.