§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he takes to ensure that no overseas elector has his name included on an electoral register in circumstances where his name was not previously included on the register for the same electoral division.
§ Mr. Peter LloydIn order to ascertain the eligibility of applicants, electoral registration officers will as a matter of course check old registers, to ensure that potential overseas electors (or, in appropriate cases, a parent or guardian) were included on the register for the constituency within the previous 20 years. Guidance recently issued to registration officers by the Home Office explains which registers should be checked in particular circumstances, and how old registers can be checked when copies are not available locally.