§ Lord Smith of Leighasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are planning to allow all-postal voting in the European elections in 2004. [HL6015]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Baroness Scotland of Asthal):We have just published a consultation paper which proposes holding the European Parliamentary and ordinary local elections in 2004 at the same time. In paragraph 26, which is appended, we explain that we are also considering very carefully whether to hold pilot voting schemes at these combined elections.
Paragraph 26. Since the local elections. in May 2000 we have been piloting, with local authorities and in close consultation with the Electoral Commission, a series of new and innovative ways of voting, such as allowing people to do so by telephone and the internet, or allowing everyone to vote by post. We have recently published a prospectus inviting local authorities to suggest further schemes for the 2003 local elections. We are currently considering very carefully whether we should hold pilots at the proposed combined local, GLA and European Parliament elections in 2004. To 86WA do this would require separate changes to primary legislation, since piloting is not currently possible in local elections combined with European Parliamentary elections".