§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) Irish nationals and (b) Community nationals have the right to vote in Britain; and how many European Community nationals are resident in the United Kingdom on the same basis.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggOn the basis of the number of persons who reported that they were citizens of the Irish Republic or of Commonwealth countries in the most recent labour force survey, it is estimated that nearly 500,000 citizens of the Irish Rebublic and nearly 500,000 citizens of Commonwealth countries aged 18 or over were usually resident in the United Kingdom in mid-1984 and therefore had the right to vote. The corresponding estimate for nationals of European Community countries, excluding the Irish Republic, is between 150,000 and 200,000. EC nationals do not have the right to vote.