§ 41. Simon HughesTo ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission when the Electoral Commission will assess the operations of the local elections of 2 May; and if he will make a statement. [54002]
§ Mr. BeithThe commission has a statutory duty to report on the conduct of a range of elections, including Parliamentary general elections, European Parliament elections, and elections to the Scottish Parliament, Northern Ireland Assembly and National Assembly482W for Wales. There is no statutory obligation for the commission to report on the operation of local elections, but the commission will be evaluating the electoral pilot schemes held in 30 local authority areas in May 2002. The commission's evaluation is expected to be published in August 2002.