§ Lord Greavesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether intending candidates in an election are each entitled to a copy of the relevant electoral register before submitting their nomination papers in order that they may seek nominations from bona fide electors and fill in a nomination paper correctly. [HL974]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)Yes. Candidates at parliamentary elections are entitled to receive a copy of the relevant electoral register for this and other electoral purposes. The term "candidate", is defined in Section 118A of the Representation of the People Act 1983, which states that a person becomes a candidate on the date of dissolution or on the occurrence of a vacancy if on or before that date he is declared by himself or by others to be a candidate at the election.