§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give a breakdown of the 1 4 million medical cards issued to which his hon. Friend referred on 29 April, Official Report, column 22, to indicate, as far as possible, what groups of people received them, namely, newly born persons changing address or doctor and the number issued to each group in each year since the central services agency was set up.
§ Mr. ScottStatistics are not available in the form requested, and no specific records of the number of medical cards issued have been kept since 1981. The figures for 1982, 1983 and 1984 which appear in the table are therefore estimates.
been issued to (a) new-born children in Northern Ireland, (b) adults living in Northern Ireland as replacement for any and all reasons and (c) persons entering Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ScottI refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to his earlier question on this subject. Figures for the 269W numbers of replacement cards issued to adults or to persons entering Northern Ireland are not separately recorded.
§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of local government electors in Northern Ireland who hold a medical card which is acceptable as proof of identity for the local government elections on 15 May; and what percentage of the electorate this represents.
§ Mr. ScottThis information is not available. The total number of medical cards issued by the Central Services Agency since its inception in 1973 is approximately 1,384,000, but there is no reliable means of correlating this figure with the number of people eligible to vote. The total includes applications from people who have since died, left Northern Ireland or not yet reached voting age. In addition, some applicants may have obtained replacements for cards issued since 1973, either because they have changed their doctor or address, or because they have lost their previous card.
§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of local government electors in Northern Ireland who hold a medical card which is not acceptable as proof of identity for the local government elections on 15 May; and what percentage of the local government electors this represents.
§ Mr. ScottIt is not possible to estimate the number of electors who were issued with a medical card by the General Health Services Board, who have not subsequently received a card issued by the Central Services Agency, and who still have their original card in their possession.
§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of local government electors in Northern Ireland whose only means of proving their identity for the purpose of receiving their ballot paper for the local government elections on 15 May is a medical card which they hold; and, of those persons, how many hold a medical card not issued by the Central Services Agency of the Personal Health and Social Services Department.
§ Mr. ScottThe Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 provides that the only medical cards which may be accepted by presiding officers in local elections as proof of identity are those issued by the Northern Ireland Central Services Agency for the health and social services. It is not possible to estimate how many electors holding a medical card issued by the agency possess none of the other documents specified under the order.
§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he was first made aware that a medical card issued by the Northern Ireland General Health Services Board could not be accepted as proof of identity under the provisions of the Elections (Northern Ireland) Act 1985 and the Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.
§ Mr. ScottMy right hon. Friend was informed on 24 April 1985 that some voters in Northern Ireland still held medical cards issued by the Northern Ireland General Health Services Board which was abolished in 1973. As the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland stated on
270W26 April and as my hon. Friend, the Member for Brent, North (Dr. Boyson) told the House on 29 April, these cards are not specified documents for the purpose of obtaining a ballot paper under the provisions of the Elections (Northern Ireland) Act 1985 and the Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.