§ Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons in Scotland were born between 16th February, 1952 and 15th February, 1953; and how this compares with the number of electors whose date of birth is shown on the 1970 Electoral Register.
§ Mr. RossThe Registrar General estimates that at 10th October, 1969 the population in Scotland born in the period mid-February, 1952 to mid-February, 1953, numbered about 77,200. Provisional figures given by electoral registration officers indicate that there are 46,830 persons on the registers with the date on which they reach 18 entered against their names.
§ Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of electors on the 1969 and
410Wto date; how many are members of the Ulster Special Constabulary; and if he will state the total.
§ Mr. HattersleyAs at 20th February, 1970, the situation was:
on the 1970 Electoral Registers respectively; and what proportion this represents of the estimated total number of persons eligible to vote in each year.
§ Mr. Ross3,398,392 and 3,660,742 (provisional) respectively, representing about 99 per cent in each year of the estimated number of persons eligible to register.
§ Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many claims and objections were made regarding the electors' lists published on 28th November 1969; and how this compares with the number of claims and objections made in each of the previous five years.
§ Mr. RossElectoral registration officers received approximately 20,700 claims and 120 objections in respect of the electors' lists published on 28th November, 1969. As I indicated in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 28th January, similar information is not available in respect of previous years. I understand, however, that most electoral registration officers consider that there was a substantial increase in the number of claims in respect of the 1969 lists compared with previous years.—[Vol. 794, c.356.]
§ Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the claims and objections made regarding the electors' lists published on 28th November, 1969 were sustained, and how many rejected.
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§ Mr. RossOf the 20,700 claims received, some 18,240 were accepted. The remainder were rejected, some on the ground that the claimants had already been included in the appropriate list. Virtually all the objections were sustained.
§ Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he made before compilation of the 1970 Electoral Register of the increase in the number of electors in Scotland as a result of the lowering of the voting age to 18 years; and what is the actual increase in number in the 1970 Register as compared with the 1969 Register.
§ Mr. RossIt is estimated that in Scotland there were about 286,000 persons who became eligible to register as a result of the lowering of the voting age to 18. The net increase in the number of electors on the 1970 register was 262,350; this figure reflects additions to, and deletions from the 1969 register for other causes as well as the reduction of the voting age.