HC Deb 19 December 1983 vol 51 cc70-1W
Mr. Coombs

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the 20 English non-metropolitan counties which have shown the greatest percentage growth in electorate since 1976; and what has been the percentage growth and actual figure in each case.

Mr. John Patten

The information requested is contained in the following table:

County Total electors on the 1976 electoral register Total electors on the 1983 electoral register Growth
Number Percentage
8. Wiltshire 357,338 395,738 38,400 10.7
9. Somerset 299,919 331,837 31,918 10.6
10. Bedfordshire 334,231 369,265 35,034 10.5
11. Hampshire 1,008,590 1,113,671 105,081 10.4
12. Dorset 439,148 482,297 43,149 9.8
13. Lincolnshire 383,008 419,655 36,647 9.6
14. Suffolk 408,205 447,151 38,946 9.5
15. Cheshire 648,177 708,659 60,482 9.3
16. Norfolk 497,446 543,423 45,977 9.2
17. Essex 1,037,839 1,132,950 95,111 9.2
18. Cornwall 307,210 334,001 26,791 8.7
19. Gloucestershire 357,228 387,378 30,150 8.4
20. Hertfordshire 675,519 730,314 54,795 8.1

The total numbers of electors include service voters and young people who will attain the age of 18 during the currency of the register.