§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures exist for service personnel to be registered on the electoral roll; and what proposals he has to increase the number of registrations. [60862]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonService personnel may vote only when they are registered as Service Voters. The Representation of the People Act 1993 obliges my Department to ensure that all eligible members of the Armed Forces and their spouses are given the opportunity and adequate assistance to register as Service voters. To register, personnel make a Service declaration to the electoral registration officer for the area in which the applicant's qualifying address is situated, and this single registration remains valid throughout a Service career. Spouses may register as either Service or civilian voters.
58WQueen's Regulations for all three Services contain detailed information on the timetable for submitting declarations to ensure inclusion in the register of electors for Parliamentary, European Parliament and local government elections.
Instructions on the action required to make initial Service declarations or to make new ones on any change of address are also included in the Regulations. In addition, each Service issues formal reminders annually describing the registration procedures and listing the relevant forms to be completed. The reminders draw attention in particular to the need to re-register or to amend qualifying addresses where necessary. Commanding Officers are made personally responsible for ensuring that unit administrative arrangements are efficient and that units hold sufficient forms, and are regularly formally reminded of their responsibilities.
We will continue to employ these measures to encourage Service personnel to register and to vote, but doing so is, of course, a matter of personal choice.