Clause 1 - Registration: provision of signature and date of birth
Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland)
10:45 am
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East, DUP)
In the short debate on the programme motion, I indicated that the general principle of the Bill had been accepted by hon. Members on both sides of the House and I expect, therefore, of the Committee. For each of us, the balance is between taking steps to ensure that there is a greater curb on those who would perpetrate fraud while, at the same time, causing the least discouragement to people who desire to register and to vote validly. I suspect that the only disagreements in the Committee will be about how one strikes that balance.
A wide body of opinion believes that it would be helpful to include the national insurance number on the registration form. It would then be available to the chief electoral officer and his staff for postal vote purposes and, as indicated by other amendments, it would be on the electoral register in the polling station and could be used as an identifier when a person came forward to claim a ballot paper. The wide support is demonstrated by those who have appended their signatures to the amendment and by the historical debate about electoral fraud and the review of legislation.
The recent debate began with a session of the Northern Ireland Forum. After an election, the chief electoral officer identified electoral fraud at a high level, and a committee was set up in the forum to look at what changes could be made to reduce, if not halt, electoral fraud. One of the key issues it identified was the inclusion of the person's national insurance number. When the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee considered the matter—we were delighted to have the Minister among our membership, and he supported the report—it also identified that as an important issue. The Committee report said that
``Registration forms should contain more identifying details to overcome the problem of illicit multiple registration and to make fraudulent applications in another's name harder. These should include date of birth, a signature and the national insurance number of the voter.''
In evidence to the Committee, the then chief electoral officer, Mr. Bradley, referred again to the issue. He said:
``To prevent multiple/false registration the registration form could also require the individual's national insurance number and/or date of birth to be given. Computerised cross-checking of similar names with a view to prevent improper registration would be greatly assisted by that additional data.''
Under cross-examination in the Committee, Mr. Bradley further confirmed that that would greatly assist the electoral office. A former deputy electoral officer was an expert witness to the Committee and he too identified inclusion of the national insurance number as a vital issue that the Government should take into account.
Several other representations were made to the Committee, including some from political parties, arguing that case. The national insurance number is unique to the individual. It is open to fraud, but it makes the life of the would-be fraudster more difficult and gives him more hoops to jump through. It makes it much more difficult to attempt to take someone else's vote. Use of the national insurance number can cut out that fraud. If someone wants to provide for themselves a second or multiple vote, they can undoubtedly take steps illegally to obtain an additional national insurance number, but the possibility of a legitimately registered voter's card being stolen is reduced or even removed.
As well as providing a further indicator, the inclusion of the voter's national insurance number would enable the electoral office to identify multiple registrations. That is important, obviously in relation to amendments on multiple registration and multiple voting, which I will move later, but also in that it is a safeguard for the system. Even the amendment on registration tabled by Conservative Members recognises the assistance that it would give in tracking those who have registered at more than one address. There are plenty of John Murphys in Northern Ireland—there are probably plenty of Peter Robinsons as well. [Interruption.]