§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the eligibility criteria are in each EU member state for foreign nationals to participate in that member state's national elections; [146083]
(2) if he will introduce legislation to allow EU citizens resident in the United Kingdom to vote in British general elections. [146082]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThose entitled to vote at parliamentary elections in the United Kingdom are British citizens and those citizens of other Commonwealth countries and of the Republic of Ireland who are resident in the United Kingdom. Resident citizens of other European Union member states are not eligible to vote at parliamentary elections but may vote in local government and European parliamentary elections. I have no plans to change the current arrangements.
It is for each member state to determine who is eligible to vote in its national parliamentary elections. We do not keep records of the arrangements in other member states.