HC Deb 15 May 2000 vol 350 cc62-3W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what(a) written and (b) oral instructions were given to voters on how to vote using the supplementary vote system at the election for Mayor of London; whether voters were explicitly informed at any stage that they were not obliged to indicate more than one preference; and if he will make a statement; [121815]

(2) if he, his Ministers or his officials (a) approved and (b) were informed of the wording of the instructions to voters on the supplementary vote system used in the election for Mayor of London that were (i) printed on ballot papers, (ii) displayed in polling stations and (iii) to be given orally to voters; [121959]

(3) what discussions he, his Ministers or his officials have had with, and what representations he has received from (a) the Greater London Returning Officer, (b) Ministers and officials in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and (c) other persons regarding the wording of the instructions used at the election for Mayor of London; and if he will make a statement; [121832]

(4) what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the instruction to voters on the ballot paper and in polling booths to indicate two preferences in the election for Mayor of London with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights; for what reason voters were not informed (a) on the ballot paper, (b) in the polling booth and (c) by staff at polling stations that they were not obliged to indicate two preferences; and if he will make a statement. [121818]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The wording to be printed on the Mayoral ballot papers and to be displayed in polling stations was set out in the Greater London Authority Elections (No. 2) Rules 2000 (SI 2000/427) which were approved by both Houses of Parliament. We have no reason to believe they were not compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

It has never been the practice to issue central instructions to polling station staff on what they should say to voters and none were issued on this occasion.