To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what costs the Government have incurred in connection with remote electronic voting in each year since its introduction; and if she will make a statement on forecast expenditure on promoting e-voting.

The Government launched their electoral modernisation programme in 2002. This commenced a three-year programme of electoral pilots to test new methods of voting and other electoral innovations at local elections. The costs that the Government have incurred in connection with remote electronic voting pilots was £2,261,204 in 2002 and £16,976,000 in 2003.

Future expenditure will depend on the electoral modernisation strategy, which is still in development.