Clause 5 - Referendums: frequency
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon, Conservative)
Thank you, Mr. Benton. I formally welcome you to the Chair.
Before we adjourned, I made a few brief interventions about clause 5. I was asking about the accountability of the chief counting officer and, over lunch, I took the opportunity to remind myself of the provisions of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
What happens if a counting officer makes a mistake? We know that electoral mistakes can happen even in sophisticated democracies such as that of the only remaining superpower on the planet. What is the chain of accountability should such a thing take place? The Bill seeks to prevent court action from following, but who appoints the chairman of the Electoral Commission, if he is the counting officer, and who can remove him or her should a series of mistakes be made or other irregularities occur? I would like the Minister to deal with questions relating to the accountability of the counting officer.