Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government written question – answered at on 19 June 2026.
Paul Holmes
Opposition Whip (Commons), Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 20 April 2026 to Question 124770 on Elections: Proof of Identity, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that policy on levels of personation in areas with large numbers of individuals with the same surname.
Samantha Dixon
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
No such assessment has been made. Allowing UK‑authorised bank cards to be used at polling stations in Great Britain is intended to enable a greater proportion of legitimate electors to meet the voter identification requirements more easily. It is unacceptable for legitimate voters to be prevented or discouraged from voting, and unnecessary barriers to participation must be reduced.
Yes0 people think so
No0 people think not
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.