To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2011, Official Report, columns 1100-1W, on electoral registration, how many prosecutions there were for not completing an electoral registration form between 1997 and 2007.

The Government do not hold this information. The Electoral Commission does not hold data on the number of prosecutions initiated as a result of a failure to respond to the annual canvass between 1997 and 2007. However, they do hold data from 2008 to 2010 which can be found on the Electoral Commission's website at:

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/performance-standards/data-collection

The Electoral Commission figures show that the number of prosecutions initiated as a result of a failure to respond to the annual canvass since 2008 are as follows:

These data are collected by voluntary survey of electoral registration officers (EROs). The Electoral Commission does not have the power to collect this information and it is therefore not compulsory for EROs to complete the form.