HC Deb 06 December 1990 vol 182 cc163-4W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Attorney-General (1) on how many occasions between 11 June 1987 and 31 August 1988 officers of MI5 were granted access to any parliamentary ballot papers and counterfoils and the marked electoral registers, returns, declarations and other election documents in the custody of the clerk of the Crown;

(2) on how many occasions between 11 June 1987 and 31 August 1988 civil servants were granted access to any parliamentary ballot papers and counterfoils and the marked electoral registers, returns, declarations and other election documents in the custody of the clerk of the Crown.

The Attorney-General

None, as far as is known. Under parliamentary elections rules set out in schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983, ballot papers, counterfoils and certificates of employment on duty on the day of the poll are to be produced only on the order of the House of Commons or a competent court. No such orders were received during the period mentioned. All the other election documents specified by the Act are required to be open to public access, and applicants are not required to state their occupations or purposes.

Mr. Archer

To ask the Attorney-General if he will detail the precautions taken to prevent unauthorised access to parliamentary ballot papers, counterfoils, marked electoral registers, returns, declarations and other election documents in the custody of the clerk of the Crown under schedule 1, part V, rule 55 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

The Attorney-General

Parliamentary election documents are stored in a locked warehouse on a 24-hour patrolled secure Government site in Greater London. Only selected staff of the Lord Chancellor's Department have access to the warehouse and its contents.

Mr. Archer

To ask the Attorney-General what was the number of orders made between 11 June 1987 and 31 August 1988 under schedule 1, part V, rule 56 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

The Attorney-General

No such orders for production of election documents were received during the period stated. The only documents produced were those where public inspection is authorised under schedule 1, rule 57(2), of the 1983 Act.

Mr. Archer

To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions between 11 June 1987 and 31 August 1988 police officers were given access to any parliamentary ballot papers and counterfoils and the marked electoral registers, returns, declarations and other election documents in the custody of the clerk of the Crown.

The Attorney-General

Under the parliamentary elections rules set out in schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983, ballot papers, counterfoils and certificates of employment on duty on the day of the poll are to be produced only on the order of the House of Commons or a competent court. No such orders were received during the period mentioned. All the other election documents, including marked election registers, specified by the Act are required to be open to public access, and applicants are not required to state their occupations or purposes. Applicants stating themselves to be police officers were given access to marked election registers on five occasions during the period mentioned.