Contributions
1,912 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDElections Bill (Ninth sitting)I am afraid that the amendment would have what I suspect is an unintended consequence, so we cannot accept it. In short, it prevents many overseas electors from casting their…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Ninth sitting)There are two aspects to this group of amendments: creating a statutory definition of residence and the list of evidence of residency. A statutory definition of residence, however…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Ninth sitting)The amendments would require all declarations from overseas electors to contain two attestations, which is linked to the important principle of the Bill that only those entitled…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Ninth sitting)I have not had a formal conversation with the FCDO, but I have had conversations with officials about what else we could do on the specific point that the hon. Lady has raised.…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Ninth sitting)My hon. Friend makes a good point about the complexity of that, which I will touch on later. We do not agree with amendment 85. We encourage campaigners, parties and interested…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Ninth sitting)Clause 11 and schedule 7, which is associated with it, amend the voting and candidacy rights of European Union citizens. The law as it stands reflects our old obligations under EU…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Tenth sitting)As I sum up, I would like to add a further point in response to accusations that the clause represents a power grab. I wholeheartedly agree with the excellent points made by my…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Ninth sitting)Unlike the previous amendments that we discussed, we are in complete disagreement with these amendments; the Government just do not believe that they are necessary. Amendment 85…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Tenth sitting)The Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission is a statutory committee, the membership of which is set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 and…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Tenth sitting)As Opposition Members will probably have guessed, we believe that the amendments are unnecessary, for two reasons. First, the provisions for the introduction of the strategy and…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Tenth sitting)The Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission is a statutory committee whose existing remit is narrowly restricted to overseeing the commission’s finances and the…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Ninth sitting)Clause 10 and schedule 6 deliver on the Government’s manifesto commitments to make it easier for British expats to vote in parliamentary elections and to get rid of the arbitrary…21 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Eighth sitting)Yes—thank you!19 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Eighth sitting)Although the Government share the aim of elections being accessible to all voters, we cannot agree to the amendment because it is needlessly prescriptive. I listened carefully to…19 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Eighth sitting)I have not personally been able to meet the RNIB, but I believe that officials and possibly my predecessor did— [Interruption.] My officials are confirming that that is the case.…19 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Eighth sitting)It is a core tenet of our democracy that electors should be able to cast their vote free from interference and intimidation. Although it is already an offence to unduly influence…19 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Seventh sitting)The amendment would allow a voter to use a utility bill, a debit or credit card or a birth certificate as a form of identification under the new system being introduced by the…19 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Seventh sitting)What the hon. Gentleman has said does not negate my argument. We are talking about the threshold and we are talking about photographic identification. All these things might meet…19 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Eighth sitting)I do thank my hon. Friend for that intervention— [Laughter.] As I was saying, it is better to allow returning officers the flexibility to tailor the equipment they provide to suit…19 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Seventh sitting)If I may, Sir Edward, I want to take time to acknowledge the tragic loss of Sir David Amess. He was a fellow Essex MP to me and my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point. He was…19 Oct 2021