HC Deb 17 June 1996 vol 279 cc339-40W
Mr. Robert McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to amend the electoral rules to permit either part of a Northern Ireland driving licence to be sufficient identification for voting purposes. [32079]

Mr. Ancram

The list is kept permanently under review, but I have no plans to alter the requirement for both parts of the driving licence to be presented. I believe it is clearer simply to request that the complete driving licence be produced.

Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people, by constituency, in the 30 May elections were turned away by election staff for failing to produce required identification. [32078]

Mr. Ancram

The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland does not keep a record of the number of people turned away by election staff for failing to produce required identification. The Government are confident, however, that both of the leaflets specifying the precise identity documents and the legal requirement for them which were delivered to each household in Northern Ireland in April and May will have made it unlikely that many of the electorate were unaware of the statutory requirements.

Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will arrange for the details of required identity documents to specify in future the need for both parts of a Northern Ireland driving licence to be produced at a polling station when used as evidence of identity. [32080]

Mr. Ancram

I am happy to take the hon. and learned Gentleman's suggestion on board. In future, the NIO information leaflets prior to elections will make it clear that both parts of the Northern Ireland driving licence are required at the polling stations. The chief electoral officer is also prepared to ensure that this clarification is included on the polling cards that he issues.