HC Deb 07 March 1994 vol 239 cc15-6W
Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve voter registration amongst 17 to 25-year-olds.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

We carry out an annual advertising campaign to encourage people to complete and return the electoral registration form, and provide posters and leaflets aimed at young people. We also commission research into the working methods of electoral registration officers which is used to inform guidance to assist them in their task of drawing up a comprehensive register.

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the proportion of those eligible to vote in this year's European Parliament election who are aged between 18 and 25 years.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

None.

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department spent on encouraging 17 to 25-year-olds to put their names on the electoral register in(a) 1979, (b) 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

(a) No breakdown of advertising expenditure figures showing expenditure targeted at 17 to 25-year-olds is immediately available.

(b) 1984–85—£12,226 was spent on a public information film.

(c) 1989–90—£5,300 was spent on specific leaflets. This was in addition to a £452,000 advertisting campaign aimed at all adults aged 16 plus.

(d) 1993–94—£4,000 was spent on specific posters. This was in addition to a £620,000 advertisting campaign aimed at all adults aged 16 plus.

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's advertising in persuading young people between 17 and 25 years to go on to the electoral register.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Research undertaken following the 1993 television advertising campaign showed the following:

  1. (1) that awareness among 16 to 24-year-olds, of the need to do something to be registered, rose during the campaign period from 22 per cent. to 40 per cent.
  2. (2) that awareness among 16 to 24-year-olds, of the need to put their name on a form to register, rose during the campaign period from 33 per cent. to 49 per cent.
  3. (3) recognition of electoral registration advertising in 1993 by the 16 to 24 age group reached 50 per cent.

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of people who were between 18 and 25 years at the 1987 general election(a) were registered to vote at that election and (b) actually voted at that election;

(2) what proportion of those on the electoral register in each year from 1986 to 1993 were aged between 17 and 25 years;

(3) how many people of those currently eligible to vote are aged between 18 and 25 years; and what proportion of this is of the total number eligible to vote;

(4) what percentage of (a) those registered to vote in Britain and (b) those who voted in Britain during the 1992 general election were aged between 17 and 25 years;

(5) what proportion of people who were between 18 and 25 years at the 1992 general election (a) were registered to vote at that election and (b) actually voted at that election;

(6) what percentage of (a) those registered to vote in Britain and (b) those who voted in Britain during the 1987 general election were aged between 17 and 25 years;

(7) what proportion of 17 to 25-year-olds are currently on the electoral register; and what proportion of British citizens as a whole are currently on the electoral register.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The information requested is not available.

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