Committee (16th Day)

Part of Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill – in the House of Lords at 7:15 pm on 1 February 2011.

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Photo of Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Labour 7:15, 1 February 2011

That is a very interesting suggestion. Although we are rushed in this, I hope that, for future elections, the Electoral Commission could look at longer hours and, perhaps, different days. I think the Minister said towards the end of his reply that he wanted this. Pilots have been done. As my noble friend Lord Collins would remind me, we had an all-postal-vote pilot in the north of England, which had a very interesting result. I should perhaps have declared my interest as a postal voter. I accept what the Minister has said but I hope we will look at ways in which we can make it easier for people to vote, such as voting at weekends and longer voting hours. If it can be done with one or two pilots, as my noble friend Lord McAvoy said, that would be very useful. In view of the Minister's very helpful reply, I will withdraw the amendment.

Amendment 112A withdrawn.

Amendments 112B to 114 not moved.

Amendment 115

Moved by Lord Falconer of Thoroton

115: Schedule 2, page 32, line 24, at end insert "but no polling station shall be allocated more than 1050 electors"