Electoral Registration

HC Deb 05 November 1987 vol 121 c822W

37. Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding improving electoral registration.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

We have received representations in the recent past on three matters:

1. 1. That the autumn canvass for the register should be advertised on television;
2. 2. That people could not vote at the last general election because they had been omitted from the register;
3. 3. That people resident overseas, who would be entitled to vote, found the procedure to be included in the register unduly difficult.

It would be unduly expensive to implement the first suggestion. We are looking, in consultation with the political parties, at the second and third matters to see what changes might be made. We have already taken a range of initiatives to improve the accuracy of the register and we shall continue to work for improvements.