Contributions
1,912 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDElections Bill (Seventh sitting)The purpose of the clause and associated schedule 3 is to strength the current arrangements for proxy voting. Currently, someone can act as a proxy for up to two electors and an…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 (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)I will respond briefly to Opposition Members’ points, which can be summarised as, “This new measure is burdensome.” I thought it would be helpful to let the hon. Member for Putney…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)Yes—thank you!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 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Seventh sitting)I have finished.19 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Seventh sitting)Clause 2 is essential to strengthen and improve the current security of the postal ballot. The clause, and associated schedule 2, will require postal voters in Great Britain to…19 Oct 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Seventh sitting)I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention; I was not aware of that information, which is very helpful. It shows that the evidence we have gathered and the basis for 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 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am delighted to announce the appointment of LGBT business champion Iain Anderson, who will work with the Government, building the evidence base on how to ensure that LGBT people…22 Sept 2021HANSARDSTEM Subjects: Uptake by GirlsI thank my hon. Friend for highlighting the work that is taking place in his constituency, and I extend my thanks to Burnley College and BAE Systems. We recognise the value that…22 Sept 2021HANSARDSTEM Subjects: Uptake by GirlsWe are pleased to see an overall increase in entries for STEM A-levels and GCSEs by girls this year, including a notable 12.7% increase in A-level computing entries. We want to…22 Sept 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Sixth sitting)I am sorry, but I do not know the details of the Scottish entitlement card. Perhaps if I can see the reasons and the application process for that, I might be able to give an…22 Sept 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Sixth sitting)The amendment would ensure that further forms of photographic identification would be allowed in order to vote at a polling station. We cannot agree to the amendment, because the…22 Sept 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Sixth sitting)No, I need to make progress—I am looking at the time. The examples that we gave show why the Bill is needed, and that is not what the amendment would do. It would create an…22 Sept 2021HANSARDElections Bill (Sixth sitting)Exactly—that is the point I was coming to. As the amendment is drafted, it could be a way in a marginal election of unduly delaying the announcement of a result. We want to ensure…22 Sept 2021