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1003590

registered interest
date	09/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Electoral Register: Proof of Identity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to recommendations outlined in the Electoral Commission's statutory evaluation of the 2018 voter ID pilot schemes, what guidance the Government will be providing for the May 2019 voter ID pilot schemes.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	189733
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to working with the Electoral Commission on its recommendations from its evaluation of the 2018 voter ID pilots. Each pilot is working closely and collaboratively with the Cabinet Office to complete the design and development of successful voter ID pilots.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 14/11/2018 13:37:33 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1002664

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Local Government: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to recommendations in the Electoral Commission's statutory evaluation of the 2018 voter ID pilot schemes, what work the Government is undertaking with returning officers, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and organisations that represent people with different needs to carry out robust equality impact assessments of the pilot schemes taking place in May 2019.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	188869
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>The success of the voter ID pilots in May this year proves that voter ID is a reasonable and proportionate measure. On 3 November the Government announced that eleven local authorities across England would be taking part in voter ID pilots for the 2019 local elections.</p><p> </p><p>Equality impact assessments will be conducted in each of the pilot areas. We take seriously the importance of Public Sector Equality Duty compliance at an early stage in policy development and are engaging with the Equality and Human Rights Commission and a broad range of charities and civil society organisations to ensure that the overall policy reflects the needs of all voters in the UK. Local authorities will provide alternative methods of ID to individuals who do not have a specified form of ID, free of charge, ensuring that everyone who is registered has the opportunity to vote.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/11/2018 15:50:49 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1002665

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Local Government: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Electoral Commission's statutory evaluation of the 2018 voter ID pilot schemes, what steps his Department is taking to ensure pilot schemes taking place in May 2019 will include options for people who do not have a required form of identification.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	188870
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>The success of the voter ID pilots in May this year proves that voter ID is a reasonable and proportionate measure. On 3 November the Government announced that eleven local authorities across England would be taking part in voter ID pilots for the 2019 local elections.</p><p> </p><p>We take seriously the importance of Public Sector Equality Duty compliance at an early stage in policy development. Pilots will test a range of photographic and non-photographic ID, including poll cards. The types of ID will not be limited to a passport, driving licence or travel pass. Local authorities will continue to provide alternative methods of ID free of charge, to individuals who do not have a specified form of ID, ensuring that everyone who is registered has the opportunity to vote.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/11/2018 15:55:58 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1002666

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Local Government: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Electoral Commission's statutory evaluation of the 2018 voter ID pilot schemes, what steps his Department is taking to identify alternative forms of identification for (a) people with protected characteristics and (b) others who find it difficult to provide a passport, driving licence or travel pass.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	188871
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>The success of the voter ID pilots in May this year proves that voter ID is a reasonable and proportionate measure. On 3 November the Government announced that eleven local authorities across England would be taking part in voter ID pilots for the 2019 local elections.</p><p> </p><p>We take seriously the importance of Public Sector Equality Duty compliance at an early stage in policy development. Pilots will test a range of photographic and non-photographic ID, including poll cards. The types of ID will not be limited to a passport, driving licence or travel pass. Local authorities will continue to provide alternative methods of ID free of charge, to individuals who do not have a specified form of ID, ensuring that everyone who is registered has the opportunity to vote.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/11/2018 15:56:18 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1002668

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Electoral Register
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference his Department's proposals on the reform of the annual canvass published in October 2018, whether his Department has carried out a risk assessment of the hybrid model for delivering the annual canvass; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure the right to vote is protected for (a) people with protected characteristics and (b) generally.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	188872
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to do so. An integral part of this is having an electoral registration system that is efficient and meets the needs of the modern citizen.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our plans for reform of the annual canvass, the Government is currently consulting on a hybrid model based on the evidence from 23 canvass pilot projects. The consultation is being conducted jointly with the Scottish and Welsh Governments and will remain open until 30th November 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The pilots have provided us with a strong basis from which to evaluate and mitigate any risks. In developing the model, we have worked closely with stakeholders in the electoral community including the Electoral Commission, Association of Electoral Administrators and the Scottish Assessors Association. Throughout, we have considered how best to support citizens with protected characteristics to ensure our policy proposal for the reform of the annual canvass supports their participation in our country’s democratic events.</p><p> </p><p>We have engaged with organisations that represent their interests. This has included seeking the opinions of the Accessibility of Elections Working Group, whose membership includes leading charities, such as the Royal Mencap Society, RNIB and Scope. The proposals for the reform of the annual canvass were shared with this group on the 9th October.</p><p> </p><p>Our proposals for canvass reform do not affect the ability of individuals to register at any time during the year. The introduction of online registration has made it easier, simpler and faster to register to vote. This can be done online at <a href="http://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/register-to-vote</a> <a href="http://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote" target="_blank"> </a>in as little as 5 minutes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/11/2018 16:04:15 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1002187

registered interest
date	05/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Local Government: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will publish the statutory orders for each of the electoral pilot schemes taking place at local government elections in 2019.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	188226
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>Orders enabling the pilot scheme to require voters to present identification before voting at</p><p>a polling station will be published on <a href="http://gov.uk/" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The orders derive from the Representation of the People Act 2000, which makes provision for local authorities to submit proposals to pilot innovative electoral administration practices at local</p><p>government elections.</p><p> </p><p>The success of the voter ID pilots in May this year proves that voter ID is a reasonable and</p><p>proportionate measure. On 3 November the Government announced that eleven local</p><p>authorities across England would be taking part in voter ID pilots for the 2019 local elections:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/next-round-of-voter-id-pilots-announced-for-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/next-round-of-voter-id-pilots-announced-for-2019</a></p><p> </p><p>The pilots will give us a deeper understanding of how voter ID will work on a wider scale and</p><p>what works best for voters.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/11/2018 16:00:24 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

984757

registered interest
date	10/10/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Electoral Register: Students
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that higher education providers co-operate with electoral registration officers on the facilitation of electoral registration.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	177758
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2018 answer text <p>On Friday 14 September, the Office for Students (OfS) published its guidance to Higher Education providers on the student electoral registration condition.This guidance is the final step in the implementation of the student electoral registration regulatory condition provided for in the Higher Education and Research Act 2017.</p><p> </p><p>The OfS guidance represents the first time that student electoral registration forms part of the Higher Education framework in England. In fulfilling the condition, Higher Education providers across England will be obliged to work with Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to facilitate electoral registration amongst their student populations. The condition also reinforces an existing legal requirement for Higher Education providers to comply with ERO requests for information, necessary for maintaining complete and accurate electoral registers.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 16/10/2018 09:32:23 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

969488

registered interest
date	07/09/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Electoral Register
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 6 September 2018 to Question 169500 on Electoral Register, whether the Government plans to collate the information from local Electoral Registration Officers at the local authority level to evaluate the potential effect of the legislative changes on the level of anonymous voter registration.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	171697
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2018 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on Thursday 6 September 2019.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 12/09/2018 15:37:58 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

968313

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Elections: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the access to elections working group is appropriately resourced to implement the actions set out in the Government's response to Call for evidence: access to elections, published in August 2018.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	170894
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>The Access to Elections Working Group is appropriately resourced.</p><p> </p><p>We received over 250 responses from the Call for evidence and have published a report of key findings and actions to be taken forward for polls reserved to the UK Government to ensure that our elections are as accessible as possible, and to remove any barriers that exist to democratic participation.</p><p> </p><p>Implementation of the action is split between disabled people's’ organisations (in widening awareness), Government (in any potential legislative change), the Electoral Commission (in revision and development of guidance) and Returning Officers (in training of staff and running of polls).</p><p> </p><p>The Group’s membership includes leading charities and key electoral stakeholders who will work together to better support disabled people’s participation in our democratic process.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 14/09/2018 11:11:35 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

968352

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	General Election 2017: Returning Officers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of returning officers spent in excess of their maximum recoverable amount at the 2017 general election.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	170903
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2018 answer text <p>The Cabinet Office is responsible for the settlement of election expenses claims in respect of constituencies in England and Wales. Data for constituencies in Northern Ireland and Scotland is not available to the Cabinet Office at present.</p><p> </p><p>The number of claims that exceeded the maximum recoverable amount in England and Wales at the 2017 UK parliamentary general election was 236. This is 41% of the claims for consideration by the Cabinet Office. The Elections Claims Unit at the Cabinet Office is scrutinising these claims to ensure that the expenses claimed were reasonable and necessary for the efficient and effective delivery of the poll as is required by law. This could result in some claims being settled at an amount that is less than originally claimed and below the maximum recoverable amount for that constituency and therefore the overall number of claims that are over spent could change.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 10/09/2018 15:44:10 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith