HC Deb 12 December 1980 vol 995 cc518-9W
Mr. Geoffrey Johnson Smith

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, for each annual electoral register since 1970, an estimate of the costs to central and local government funds of compiling the electoral register.

Mr. Brittan

Information about the costs of compiling the electoral register in England and Wales is available only in terms of financial years and is not practicable to distinguish central and local government costs. The figures are as follows:

Electoral register Financial year Estimated expenditure (at outturn prices) £ million
1970 1969–70 Not available
1971 1970–71 3.9
1972 1971–72 4.2
1973 1972–73 4.5
1974 1973–74 5.3
1975 1974–75 6.6
1976 1975–76 8.7
1977 1976–77 9.9
1978 1977–78 10.9
1979 1978–79 12.1
1980 1979–80 13.8