Poll Cards (Hansard, 23 July 1984)

§ Mr. Home Robertson
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total cost of sending an official poll card to an elector before an election; and what was the actual cost of these cards for the 1983 general election (a) for the whole of Scotland and (b) as an average for each constituency.

§ Mr. Peter Rees
Claims by returning officers for the 1983 general election are incomplete. The full cost of sending poll cards to electors is thus not available. However, the total cost of delivering official poll cards by the Post Office at the 1983 general election in Scotland was £391,522 at an average cost per constituency of £5,438. On the basis of claims so far received, the estimated cost, excluding postage, of producing official poll cards at the 1983 general election for Scotland was £54,000 at an average cost per constituency of £750.

§ Mr. Home Robertson
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total cost of sending an official poll card to an elector before an election; and what was the actual cost of these cards for the 1983 general election (a) for the whole of England and Wales and (b) as an average for each constituency.

§ Mr. Peter Rees
Claims by returning officers for the 1983 general election are incomplete. The full cost of sending poll cards to electors is thus not available. However, the total cost of delivering official poll cards by the Post Office at the 1983 general election in the whole of England and Wales is £2,982,950 at an average cost per constituency of £5,317.
On the basis of claims so far received, the estimated cost, excluding postage, of producing official poll cards at the 1983 general election for the whole of England and Wales is £800,000; this gives an average cost per constituency of £1,426.