HC Deb 29 June 1994 vol 245 cc622-3W
Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will cause an inquiry to be undertaken, in cases where European law forbids the revelation of names and addresses of nominators of a candidate in European Union elections and where there are prima facia grounds for complaint, which could examine the bona fides of the nominators and investigate the background and political and financial connections of relevant candidates whose departure abroad makes them unavailable for questioning;

(2) if he will cite the precise European statute which prohibits (a) other candidates and (b) members of the public from having sight of candidates' nominators, their names and addresses, in an election to the European Parliament.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

We know of no such European law. As is the case at parliamentary elections, at European parliamentary elections in the United Kingdom candidates and the elections agents, proposers and seconders of candidates may attend the proceedings and inspect the nomination papers during the period for delivery of nomination papers. The addresses of the proposer, seconder and assentors are not given on nomination papers, although their electoral numbers are given. The names of the persons nominating and seconding a candidate for election to the European Parliament are published in the statement of persons nominated