§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the number of absent voting papers issued in each local government area for the 1993 and 1997 elections and the Northern Ireland total86W and percentage, and the percentage difference for each council between 1993 and 1997; and if she will make a statement. [3832]
Mr. MurphyThe information requested is as follows:
1993 and 1997 Northern Ireland District Council General Elections Absent voters District Council 1993 1997 Percentage difference Derry 1,637 1,912 16.80 Limavady 990 927 -6.36 Coleraine 1,407 1,296 -7.89 Ballymoney 375 462 23.20 Moyle 486 380 -21.81 Larne 287 274 -4.53 Ballymena 872 851 -2.41 Magherafelt 1,212 1,902 56.93 Cookstown 2,206 2,539 15.10 Strabane 1,125 2,072 84.18 Omagh 2,005 2,665 32.92 Fermanagh 3,581 4,206 17.45 Dungannon 3,117 3,396 8.95 Craigavon 1,461 1,422 -2.67 Armagh 2,385 2,974 24.69 Newry and Mourne 2,884 3,529 22.36 Banbridge 1,588 1,526 -3.90 Down 2,714 2,164 -20.26 Lisburn 1,098 1,192 8.56 Antrim 665 503 -24.36 Newtownabbey 659 582 -11.68 Carrickfergus 386 366 -5.18 North Down 689 765 11.03 Ards 568 727 27.99 Castlereagh 432 463 7.17 Belfast 2,633 2,913 10.63 Total 37,462 42,008 12.13 These figures show there has been a significant increase in the overall numbers of absent votes in Northern Ireland.
It is also the case however that in almost half of the local government areas the number of voting papers issued in 1997 were down on the 1993 figures. In Antrim by 24 per cent., in Moyle by 21 per cent. and in Down by 20 per cent. In areas where there has been an increase it has been less than 12 per cent. in over a quarter and less than 20 per cent. in over half. Nevertheless in 1997 in four local government areas (Strabane, Magherafelt, Omagh and Ards) voting papers issued increased by more than 25 per cent.