§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many ballot papers were printed for the border poll election in Northern Ireland; how many of these were actually issued to the various presiding officers; and how many unused papers were returned.
§ Mr. Peter MillsApproximately 2 million ballot papers were printed by returning officers for the border poll. More than half were allocated to polling stations, and the remainder kept as a reserve in case of emergency. No record was kept of the number of unused ballot papers. In accordance with the parliamentary election rules as applied to the border poll papers which were issued to polling stations but not used were sealed in packages at the close of the poll and are now deposited with the Clerk of the Crown.