§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral statement by the Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the hon. Member for Knowsley, North and Sefton, East (Mr. Howarth), on 13 January 2000,Official Report, columns 487-89, what evidence of adequate public consultation was provided by each local authority submitting proposals for a pilot scheme under section 10 of the Representation of the People Act 2000; which schemes were (a) withdrawn and (b) not approved because of a lack of adequate public consultation; and if he will make a statement. [118562]
§ Mr. StrawLocal authorities which made applications under section 10 of the Representation of the People Act 2000 were required to give an assurance that no voter would be put at a disadvantage by their pilot schemes but they were not required to submit specific evidence of any public consultation which they may have undertaken before submitting their applications. Birmingham, Halton, Pendle, Telford and Wrekin and Warrington later withdrew their applications but we were not advised of the reason for withdrawal in every case. Applications from Milton Keynes, Solihull, Thurrock and Wirral were not approved because of local opposition to the proposed schemes.