§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding has been made available, and from what sources, to the Electoral Office for the production and distribution of Electoral Identity Cards. [176961]
§ Mr. SpellarThe funding, made available by the Northern Ireland Office, for the production and distribution of the Electoral Identity Card is as follows:
£ million Budget Spend 2002–03 1.78 1.16 2003–04 1 0.83 Total 2.78 1.99 The spend to date in the current financial year—2004–05—is £41,000. The budget is £100,000.
§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Electoral Office is taking to ensure that those in residential care in Northern Ireland are not disenfranchised through the omission of their names from the electoral register. [176969]
§ Mr. SpellarThis issue is an operational matter and is, therefore, the responsibility of the Chief Electoral Officer. He will be writing to the hon. Lady in due course.
A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.