§ Mr. CashTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the use of all-postal ballot schemes in elections taking place in 2004; [124070]
(2) what plans the Government has to introduce legislation allowing the use of election pilot schemes in the proposed combined elections in June 2004; and if he will make a statement. [124071]
§ Mr. LeslieUnder s.10 of the Representation of the People Act 2000, local authorities in England and Wales can apply to run electoral pilot schemes to trial innovative voting methods at local elections.
For the greater convenience of the electorate, we propose to provide, subject to parliamentary approval of the Local Government Bill, for the date of next year's local elections in England to be moved to the same day as that of the European parliamentary elections.
The Government are keen to maintain the momentum built up so far in the electoral pilots programme and are, therefore, giving positive consideration to the possibility of making legislative provision to enable pilots to take place at next year's elections.