§ Ann WintertonTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the ways in which elected regional assemblies will increase democratic accountability; what proposals he has to encourage voter interest in regional assembly elections; and if he will make a statement. [82726]
§ Mr. RaynsfordA detailed assessment of the ways in which elected regional assemblies will increase democratic accountability is set out in the White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice" (Cm 5511), particularly in chapters 1 and 3.
Publicity about voting in elections for regional assemblies will be a matter for the Electoral Commission. More generally, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has embarked upon an ambitious programme of electoral modernisation pilot schemes, of which the aim is to make voting more straightforward, efficient, secure and above all readily accessible to all electors.