New Clause 1
Political Parties and Elections Bill
12:30 pm
Individual voter registration
‘(1) The 1983 Act is amended as follows.
(2) In section 10 (maintenance of registers: annual canvass), for subsections (4A) and (4B) there is substituted—
“(4A) Subject to subsection (4B) below, the information to be obtained by the use of such a form for the purpose of a canvass shall include—
(a) the signature of each of the persons in relation to whom the form is completed;
(b) the date of birth of each such person; and
(c) in relation to each such person—
(i) his national insurance number or a statement that he does not have one,
(ii) a statement of whether or not he has been resident in the United Kingdom for the whole of the three-month period ending on 15th October in the year in question, and
(iii) any address in the United Kingdom in respect of which he is or has applied to be registered (other than the address in respect of which the form is completed), and the power in subsection (4) above to prescribe a form includes power to give effect to the requirements of the subsection.
(4B) An electoral officer may dispense with the requirement mentioned in subsection (4A)(a) above in relation to any person if he is satisfied that it is not reasonably practicable for that person to sign in a consistent and distinctive way because of any incapacity of his or because he is unable to read.”.
(3) In section 10A (maintenance of registers: registration of electors)—
(a) for subsections (1A) and (1B) there is substituted—
“(1A) Subject to subsection (1B) below, an application for registration in respect of an address in the United Kingdom shall include—
(a) the signature of each of the persons to whom the application relates;
(b) the date of birth of each such person; and
(c) in relation to each person—
(i) his national insurance number or a statement that he does not have one,
(ii) a statement of whether or not he has been resident in the United Kingdom for the whole of the three-month period ending on the date of the application, and
(iii) any other address in the United Kingdom in respect of which he is or has applied to be registered, and the power in subsection (1) above to prescribe requirements includes power to give effect to the requirements of this subsection.
(1B) An electoral registration officer may dispense with the requirement mentioned in subsection (1A)(a) above in relation to any person if he is satisfied that it is not reasonably practicable for that person to sign in a consistent and distinctive way because of any incapacity of his or because he is unable to read.”,
(b) for subsection (5A) there is substituted—
“(5A) A person’s name is to be removed from the register in respect of any address if—
(a) the form mentioned in section 10(4) above in respect of that address does not include all the information relating to him required by virtue of section 10(4A) above; or
(b) the registration officer determines that he is not satisfied with the information relating to that person which was included in that form pursuant to that requirement.”.
(4) In section 13A (alteration of registers), for subsections (2A) and (2B) there is substituted—
“(2A) Subject to subsection (2B) below, an application for registration under subsection (1)(a) above in respect of an address in the United Kingdom shall include—
(a) the signature of each of the persons to whom the application relates;
(b) the date of birth of each such person; and
(c) in relation to each such person—
(i) his national insurance number or a statement that he does not have one,
(ii) a statement of whether or not he has been resident in the United Kingdom for the whole of the three-month period ending on the date of the application, and
(iii) any other address in the United Kingdom in respect of which he is or has applied to be registered, and the power in subsection (1)(a) above to prescribe requirements includes power to give effect to the requirements of this subsection.
(2B) The Chief Electoral Officer may dispense with the requirement mentioned in subsection (2A)(a) above in relation to any person if he is satisfied that it is not reasonably practicable for that person to sign in a consistent and distinctive way because of any incapacity of his or because he is unable to read.”’.—[Mrs. Laing.]