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>
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>
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\u2019s democratic events.<\/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>
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 www.gov.uk/register-to-vote<\/a> <\/a>in as little as 5 minutes.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1609", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chloe Smith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Norwich North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chloe Smith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-13T16:04:15.48Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electoral Register"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "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.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Cat Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lancaster and Fleetwood"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Cat Smith"}
], "uin" : "188872"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/972272", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/972272/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The register for the 2017 General Election, at 46.8 million, was the largest ever.<\/p> While there are no recent reliable estimates of the number of people not on the electoral register, we know that Individual Electoral Registration has transformed the ease with which people can make an application to register.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1609", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chloe Smith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Norwich North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chloe Smith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-12T15:00:26.857Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electoral Register"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "What recent estimate he has made of the number of eligible voters not on the electoral register.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3952", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chesterfield"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Toby Perkins"}
], "uin" : "906841"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/969488", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/969488/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on Thursday 6 September 2019.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1609", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chloe Smith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Norwich North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chloe Smith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-12T15:37:58.637Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electoral Register"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "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.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Cat Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lancaster and Fleetwood"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Cat Smith"}
], "uin" : "171697"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/964697", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/964697/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In March this year, Parliament passed Government proposals for changes to anonymous voter registration. The changes will make it easier for an estimated 12,000 survivors of domestic abuse living in refuges, as well as those living elsewhere, to register to vote anonymously. The Government does not hold records of the number of applications to register that were made anonymously. This information is held by local Electoral Registration Officers, within Local Authorities.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1609", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chloe Smith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Norwich North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chloe Smith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-06T15:56:07.857Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electoral Register"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information he holds on whether there has been an increase in the number of people who have registered to vote anonymously in 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Cat Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lancaster and Fleetwood"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Cat Smith"}
], "uin" : "169500"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/943074", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/943074/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In March this year, Parliament passed government proposals for changes to the anonymous voter registration system. The changes will make it easier for an estimated 12,000 survivors of domestic abuse living in refuges to register to vote anonymously, as well as those living elsewhere.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1609", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chloe Smith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Norwich North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chloe Smith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-07-23T09:09:38.047Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electoral Register"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that survivors of abusive and violent relationships and their new partners can register to vote without being traced by their ex-partner.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4440", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Marion Fellows"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Motherwell and Wishaw"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Marion Fellows"}
], "uin" : "165066"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/931555", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/931555/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government recognises that social media can be an effective tool in increasing democratic awareness in all groups, particularly amongst those groups who are less likely to be registered to vote, such as young people.<\/p> The primary legal responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers lies with Electoral Registration Officers; the Electoral Commission (EC) also has a statutory duty to promote awareness of elections, including registration. In this capacity the EC leads public awareness campaigns on voter registration, notably ahead of elections.<\/p> Working in partnership with the EC, Cabinet Office has coordinated cross-Government support for these campaigns. This includes sharing campaign materials through government social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as wider networks. No central record is kept of the volumes of these activities.<\/p> In addition to cascading messages on social media, the Government has also funded local authorities and civil society organisations such as Mencap, Bite the Ballot and Operation Black Vote to promote voter registration ahead of polls. Register to vote reminder messages were also added to high traffic GOV.UK pages, such as DVLA and HMRC.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1609", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chloe Smith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Norwich North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chloe Smith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-07-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-07-02T13:46:58.407Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-06-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electoral Register"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many posts there have been from official Governmental social media accounts on (a) Facebook, (b) Twitter and (c) any other social media platform to raise awareness of voter registration deadlines in each of the last four years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/534", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Ruane"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Vale of Clwyd"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Ruane"}
], "uin" : "157664"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/918432", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/918432/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Parliament previously agreed legislation that requires the 2018 Boundary Review to be based on the December 2015 electoral registers. Data published by ONS shows that the number of electors on these registers was 44,722,004. ONS has recently published data showing that there were 46,148,035 electors on the December 2017 electoral registers.<\/p> Registers used for a boundary review are necessarily a snapshot and the registers have always continued to change while a review takes place.<\/p> Without the current parliamentary boundary reviews, MPs could end up representing constituencies based on data that is over 20 years\u2019 old, disregarding significant changes in demographics, house building and migration.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1609", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chloe Smith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Norwich North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chloe Smith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-06-11T15:21:22.837Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-06-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electoral Register"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the difference is between the number of voters on the electoral register compared to the electoral register data used for the current parliamentary boundary review.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4425", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Stevens"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cardiff Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jo Stevens"}
], "uin" : "150709"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/914831", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/914831/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the statutory responsibility to maintain complete and accurate electoral registers.<\/p> <\/p> While there are many reasons why levels of electoral registration in any given area may vary over time, the overall trend since the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration has been for electoral registers to grow overall. The most recent full assessment of registration was conducted in 2016 by the Electoral Commission, based on the December 2015 registers. Electoral Commission reports on electoral registration are available online:<\/p>