– in the House of Commons at on 25 March 1943.
Mr Frederick Cocks
, Broxtowe
asked the Home Secretary whether any decision has been reached on the proposals set out in the Report of the Committee on Electoral Machinery; and whether consideration is being given to the further suggestion that at any future By-election those who possess a two or three months' residential qualification in the Constituency shall be entitled to vote, including those who have reached the age of 21 since 1939?
Mr Herbert Morrison
, Hackney South
I am unable at present to add anything to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Hendon (Sir R. Blair) on 11th March, except that the position of by-elections is being kept well in mind.
Mr Frederick Cocks
, Broxtowe
Regarding the answer to the second part of the Question, about by-elections, is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a growing feeling in this country that of all the people who ought to be able to vote the first are the young men in the Forces and the factories, who are saving the country and saving this House, and that arrangements for them to vote could easily be made?
Mr Herbert Morrison
, Hackney South
I entirely agree that it is desirable that every possible qualified person should have the opportunity to vote, but I would not be disposed to agree with my hon. Friend that it is easy to achieve it in present conditions.
Mr Richard Stokes
, Ipswich
Will the right hon. Gentleman, when considering the matter, bear in mind the trouble the Government will be up against every time they move a Writ in this House?
Mr Herbert Morrison
, Hackney South
Yes, Sir; the Government always anticipate their troubles, and do their best to circumvent them.
A by-election occurs when a seat in the House of Commons becomes vacant during the lifetime of a Parliament (i.e. between general elections) because the sitting MP dies, resigns, is elevated to the peerage, or becomes ineligible to sit for some other reason. If a vacancy occurs when the House is in session, the Chief Whip of the Party that formerly held the seat moves a Motion for a new writ. This leads to the by-election taking place. Prior notice does not have to be given in the Order Paper of the House. There is no time limit in which a new writ has to be issued, although by convention it is usually done within three months of a seat becoming vacant. There have been times when seats have remained empty for more than six months before a by-election was called. The sitting party will obviously choose a time when they feel confident of success. Seats are often left vacant towards the end of a Parliament to be filled at the General Election though this is not always the case and by-elections have sometimes occurred just before the dissolution of Parliament. While a vacancy exists a member of the same party in a neighbouring constituency handles constituency matters. When the new Member is elected in the by-election, all outstanding matters are handed back. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M7 at the UK Parliament site.
In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent
