§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish his estimates for 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991 of(a) the total number of adults eligible to vote and (b) the total number registered; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Dorrell[holding answer 20 January 1992]The information requested, relating to England and Wales, is as follows:
602W
(Thousands) Total parliamentary electors Approximate corresponding resident population at preceding mid-year 1988 38,629 39,852 1989 38,561 40,040 1990 38,596 40,203 1991 38,509 40,305 The electorate figures include unknown numbers of legitimate dual registrations—by persons with second homes and students—each year, as well as overseas electors.
The resident population estimates include persons aged 17, and 63 per cent. of those aged 16, who will become 18 during the period when each electoral register is in use. No account has been taken of adults who die between the mid-year reference date and the 10 October qualifying date for the following year's electoral register. The estimates include residents who are not Commonwealth citizens or citizens of the Republic of Ireland, persons detained in mental institutions, and peers, none of whom are eligible to be parliamentary electors.
These population estimates are based on the 1981 census; provisional estimates for 1991 based on the 1991 census will be available in the autumn.