§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of experiments aimed at increasing voter turnout in elections. [122008]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienUnder the terms of the Representation of the People Act 2000, responsibility for evaluating the recent electoral pilot schemes rests with the local authorities concerned and we do not wish to prejudge that process.
Early indications are that the all-postal ballot schemes had the most significant impact on voter turnout. However, this is not, of course, the only measure of success: the evaluation reports will also be concerned with such issues as ease of voting and increased administrative efficiency.