§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many councils did not have the 1999–2000 electoral register available in(a) printed and (b) tape or disc form on 16 February; and what requirements there are for councils to make registers available by that date. [76626]
§ Mr. George HowarthInformation on the availability of the new electoral register for each local council area is not held centrally.
Under the Representation of the People Act 1983, electoral registration officers are required to publish the register not later than 15 February in any year. If any part of a register is not published by this date then, until the day after it is published, the corresponding part of the previous register continues in use. Once published, printed copies are required to be made available to electoral users on request, whilst data copies are to be supplied on payment of the appropriate fee.