§ Sir Geoffrey Finsbergasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce an amendment to the Representation of the People Regulations to allow electors who have moved house to make application for an absent vote, which will continue without further application until such time as the applicant is no longer qualified for registration at his old address; and if he will remove the new requirement that such applications need to be attested.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggAny change which allowed people who moved house to retain an absent vote for the duration of the current electoral register would require an amendment to the Representation of the People Act 1985, for which we have no present plans. We are not at present persuaded that the regulations should exempt people who have moved house, but no other applicants, from the necessity to have their applications attested.