HL Deb 26 June 2002 vol 636 cc135-6WA
Lord Kilclooney

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there are any proposals (1) to close the police station in Killyleagh, County Down or (2) to reduce the number of policemen based in Killyleagh PSNI station; and what they see as the future of policing in Killyleagh. [HL4771]

The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn)

The Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2002, which received Royal Assent on 1 May, introduces measures to minimise the opportunity for fraud whilst protecting the right of the individual to exercise their franchise. The two main features of the Act are:

  1. (i) for any application for voter registration to include a signature, date of birth and a national insurance number (or a statement that the individual concerned does not have a national insurance number); and
  2. (ii) the provision of a photographic identity card to be issued free to those who have no other form of photographic identity acceptable as proof of ID at the polling station.

Her Majesty's Government have no plans to introduce such measures elsewhere in the United Kingdom.