§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve electoral registration in Kensington and Chelsea, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol and Rochester upon Medway.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe registration of persons entitled to vote is the statutory duty of the electoral registration officers for the districts or London boroughs concerned. I am confident that their aim is to produce as comprehensive and accurate a register as possible, and we intend to support them as in previous years with an appropriate publicity campaign at the time of the autumn canvass.
§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he holds information for any other countries on the use made by taxation authorities of electoral registers; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he holds information for any other countries on the use made by local authorities of electoral registers for their own financial purposes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggNo.
§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to examine the impact of the community charge on electoral registration.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 17 April at column33.