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1692726

registered interest
date	29/02/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Absent Voting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2024 to Question 14837 on Absent Voting, how are postal ballot sweeps are undertaken; and what guidance is provided to Returning Officers.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	16310
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2024 answer text <p>Royal Mail conducts ‘sweeps’ of all primary (and where requested, secondary) mail centres on the evening of polling day by identifying and pulling out postal vote envelopes, which are specially marked to support this process. All incoming mail collected from post-boxes goes via the delivery offices and should be at the mail centres later that day, before sweeps take place. Any postal vote envelopes pulled out at mail centres are provided directly to the relevant local returning officers. Royal Mail liaises directly with each local elections office regarding the organisation of postal ballot sweeps.</p><p>Guidance on working with Royal Mail and other mail delivery partners is provided by the Electoral Commission and is available on their website (<a href="https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-returning-officers-administering-local-government-elections-england/planning-election/managing-contractors-and-suppliers/working-mail-delivery-partners" target="_blank">https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-returning-officers-administering-local-government-elections-england/planning-election/managing-contractors-and-suppliers/working-mail-delivery-partners</a>).</p><p>Sweeps for Police and Crime Commissioner and UK Parliamentary elections are paid for centrally from the Consolidated Fund and are planned for the Police and Crime Commissioner and local elections on 2 May 2024 and for the next UK Parliamentary general election.</p> answering member constituency North Dorset answering member printed Simon Hoare grouped question UIN 16311 question first answered 06/03/2024 16:43:02 answering member 4494 label Biography information for Simon Hoare
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1692728

registered interest
date	29/02/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Absent Voting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2024 to Question 14837 on Absent Voting, whether postal ballot sweeps will be undertaken at local delivery offices on the evening of (a) 2 May 2024 and (b) General Election polling day.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	16311
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2024 answer text <p>Royal Mail conducts ‘sweeps’ of all primary (and where requested, secondary) mail centres on the evening of polling day by identifying and pulling out postal vote envelopes, which are specially marked to support this process. All incoming mail collected from post-boxes goes via the delivery offices and should be at the mail centres later that day, before sweeps take place. Any postal vote envelopes pulled out at mail centres are provided directly to the relevant local returning officers. Royal Mail liaises directly with each local elections office regarding the organisation of postal ballot sweeps.</p><p>Guidance on working with Royal Mail and other mail delivery partners is provided by the Electoral Commission and is available on their website (<a href="https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-returning-officers-administering-local-government-elections-england/planning-election/managing-contractors-and-suppliers/working-mail-delivery-partners" target="_blank">https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-returning-officers-administering-local-government-elections-england/planning-election/managing-contractors-and-suppliers/working-mail-delivery-partners</a>).</p><p>Sweeps for Police and Crime Commissioner and UK Parliamentary elections are paid for centrally from the Consolidated Fund and are planned for the Police and Crime Commissioner and local elections on 2 May 2024 and for the next UK Parliamentary general election.</p> answering member constituency North Dorset answering member printed Simon Hoare grouped question UIN 16310 question first answered 06/03/2024 16:43:02 answering member 4494 label Biography information for Simon Hoare
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1690467

registered interest
date	20/02/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Absent Voting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to monitor the potential impact of Royal Mail delays on the number of postal votes received after the deadline; and what information his Department holds on the number and proportion of voting packs that were received late in (a) local elections in May 2023 and (b) other elections in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	14836
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2024 answer text <p>I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-02-07/13601&amp;data=05|02|PS.Advisers@levellingup.gov.uk|551fcd0cfe824887faaf08dc37842a39|bf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8|0|0|638446287982435753|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|0|||&amp;sdata=N/nGVgUe5EpjbTGieV/yXxDsiNotlLajNPfjVP1jwME=&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">13601</a> on 22 February 2024.</p><p>The May local elections will be held on the same day as scheduled Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, and so the Government has taken the decision to fund a ‘national’ sweep on polling day this year. This will mean that Royal Mail can conduct ‘sweeps’ of their mail centres to ensure completed postal ballot packs are pulled out at mail centres on the evening of polling day and delivered directly to local Returning Officers.</p><p>Returning Officers are required at elections to record the number of postal ballot packs received after the close of poll and this information is available for public inspection after the election.</p> answering member constituency North Dorset answering member printed Simon Hoare grouped question UIN 14837 question first answered 27/02/2024 16:13:08 answering member 4494 label Biography information for Simon Hoare
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1690468

registered interest
date	20/02/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Absent Voting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it a requirement for the number of voting packs received after an election deadline to be published; and what steps he is taking to protect the postal voting system from Royal Mail delays.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	14837
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2024 answer text <p>I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-02-07/13601&amp;data=05|02|PS.Advisers@levellingup.gov.uk|551fcd0cfe824887faaf08dc37842a39|bf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8|0|0|638446287982435753|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|0|||&amp;sdata=N/nGVgUe5EpjbTGieV/yXxDsiNotlLajNPfjVP1jwME=&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">13601</a> on 22 February 2024.</p><p>The May local elections will be held on the same day as scheduled Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, and so the Government has taken the decision to fund a ‘national’ sweep on polling day this year. This will mean that Royal Mail can conduct ‘sweeps’ of their mail centres to ensure completed postal ballot packs are pulled out at mail centres on the evening of polling day and delivered directly to local Returning Officers.</p><p>Returning Officers are required at elections to record the number of postal ballot packs received after the close of poll and this information is available for public inspection after the election.</p> answering member constituency North Dorset answering member printed Simon Hoare grouped question UIN 14836 question first answered 27/02/2024 16:13:08 answering member 4494 label Biography information for Simon Hoare
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1625966

registered interest
date	05/05/2023
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Absent Voting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many people failed to answer the prescribed questions when applying to vote as a proxy.
tabling member constituency	North Shropshire
tabling member printed	Helen Morgan
uin	184000
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/05/2023 answer text <p>As required by <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.legislation.gov.uk%2Fuksi%2F2022%2F1382%2Fregulation%2F34%2Fmade&amp;data=05%7C01%7CParliamentary%40levellingup.gov.uk%7C659b69d3bfa04fe05d1b08db5224b2b3%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C638194089786383103%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=0t1ir4SmKPeokyZxRoTgv2Wqx5xd6aSBSSHTpEDVwjQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">paragraph 34 of part 7 of the Voter Identification Regulations 2022</a>, polling station staff were required to collect data regarding the use of identification. This information will be returned to Government and the Electoral Commission in due course, as set out in the UQ response on the floor of the House on 27 April 2023 (<a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhansard.parliament.uk%2Fcommons%2F2023-04-27%2Fdebates%2F1E1A6933-7678-4AAA-8D01-4F8274FE549B%2FVoterID&amp;data=05%7C01%7CParliamentary%40levellingup.gov.uk%7C659b69d3bfa04fe05d1b08db5224b2b3%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C638194089786383103%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=SAA6z1jgfl9crq%2FKKsBAjvk5N%2BvrxhI%2FU2l77WN3P7g%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Official Report, HC, Volume 731, Column 919</a>).</p><p>The Government will be publishing reports as required by <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.legislation.gov.uk%2Fukpga%2F1983%2F2%2Fsection%2F59A&amp;data=05%7C01%7CParliamentary%40levellingup.gov.uk%7C659b69d3bfa04fe05d1b08db5224b2b3%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C638194089786383103%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Ugvz2TR8SBd%2BsLyAYMjgHaEhEicg2lQpM1Pxrnbc%2BGs%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">section 59A of the Representation of the People Act 1983</a>.</p><p>The Electoral Commission will also report on the elections in the usual way.</p> answering member constituency Bishop Auckland answering member printed Dehenna Davison grouped question UIN 183995 183996 183997 183998 183999 question first answered 11/05/2023 14:14:51 answering member 4737 label Biography information for Dehenna Davison
tabling member	4934 label Biography information for Helen Morgan

1608795

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
answering body	Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
answering dept id	36
answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
hansard heading	Absent Voting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what recent discussions the Committee has had with the Electoral Commission on the security of postal votes.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	176574
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2023 answer text <p>The Speaker’s Committee has not had discussions with the Electoral Commission on the matter referred to.</p><p>The Commission has highlighted that voting by post is a safe and popular method of voting, with safeguards in place to protect against from fraud. Postal voters are required to provide their signature and date of birth when applying for a postal vote, and again when casting their vote. Returning Officers are responsible for checking these match.</p><p>The Commission also encourages campaigners to follow the voluntary Code of Conduct, which makes clear that political parties and campaigners should not assist in completing a ballot paper, or handle completed ballot papers.</p><p>The Elections Act also included additional measures intended to further strengthen protections around postal voting at future elections.</p> answering member constituency Lancaster and Fleetwood answering member printed Cat Smith question first answered 17/04/2023 09:27:14 answering member 4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

1542471

registered interest
date	15/11/2022
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Absent Voting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the number of postal votes which were received by (a) domestic and (b) overseas electors too late to return them by election day in each local authority area at the last (i) general and (ii) local elections.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	88022
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2022 answer text <p>The data requested is not held centrally. Individual Returning Officers keep records of postal votes they receive after the close of poll.</p> answering member constituency North East Derbyshire answering member printed Lee Rowley question first answered 23/11/2022 12:39:44 answering member 4652 label Biography information for Lee Rowley
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1285610

registered interest
date	10/02/2021
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Absent Voting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the (a) level of public awareness of postal voting and (b) the accessibility of the postal voting application process; and what steps he is taking to widen access to postal voting ahead of the May 2021 elections.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	152590
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2021 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-02-02/147911" target="_blank">147911</a> on 9 February 2021.</p><p>The Government is working on finalising the funding allocations for the May 2021 elections, and Returning Officers and local authorities will be updated on their funding allocations for the Police and Crime Commissioner and local elections respectively by the end of March.</p><p>There will be an estimated £92 million of government funding that will be provided to local authorities for the elections; of this, £31 million is an uplift to directly address costs associated with making the elections covid-secure.</p><p>For the Police and Crime Commissioner elections, Returning Officers will be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred for the smooth running of those polls via the usual process. Further detail of the potential fees and charges that Returning Officers can claim for in relation to any additional measures required to ensure covid-secure Police and Crime Commissioner elections in May is set out in guidance provided by the Cabinet Office to Returning Officers.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith grouped question UIN 152589 question first answered 02/03/2021 19:17:27 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1144610

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
answering body	Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
answering dept id	36
answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
hansard heading	Absent Voting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what steps the Electoral Commission is taking to increase the take-up of postal votes.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	286646
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>The Electoral Commission does not take steps to encourage the take up of particular ways people can cast their vote, but rather provides guidance to support voters in taking their own informed decision.</p><p>The only exception to this relates to overseas voters in the lead-up to a poll; where such voters are concerned that their returned postal ballot may not arrive in time, we specifically highlight the option of appointing a proxy.</p> answering member constituency Houghton and Sunderland South answering member printed Bridget Phillipson question first answered 09/09/2019 08:17:47 answering member 4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1132146

registered interest
date	13/06/2019
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Absent Voting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to safeguard the electoral process in respect of postal voting.
tabling member constituency	Sevenoaks
tabling member printed	Sir Michael Fallon
uin	264295
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>Electoral Fraud is unacceptable on any level. We have processes in place to defend against electoral fraud and there is ongoing work with electoral administrators and Royal Mail to implement these. In response to the Pickles report on electoral fraud, the Government accepted recommendations to strengthen the postal vote system and, in line with our manifesto commitment, we are working to reform postal voting to ensure our elections are secure.</p><p> </p><p>Cabinet Office coordinates cross-Government work to protect and secure our democratic processes and ensure those involved in delivering our elections receive cyber, physical and personnel security advice from experts at the National Cyber Security Centre and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 20/06/2019 14:21:46 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon