The Electoral Commission is pleased that the European Union Referendum Bill has been amended to ensure that polling day for the referendum will not be held on the same day as scheduled elections in May 2016 or May 2017. It is important that any debate about the UK\u2019s membership of the European Union takes place at a time that allows the full participation of voters and campaigners, uncomplicated by competing messages and activity relating to other scheduled elections.<\/p>
The Commission will continue to consider the operational implications of holding a referendum on any other date before 31 December 2017, and will publish its advice to Parliament on any regulations which specify the day on which the referendum is to be held.<\/p>
To inform their planning, the Electoral Commission has also highlighted to Government officials that any date for the referendum that is close to scheduled elections could lead to problems for voters and campaigners because of overlapping timetables for the polls. For example, a referendum held very shortly after elections might require postal votes to be despatched before polling day for the earlier elections.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Gary Streeter"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Devon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Gary Streeter"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-19T10:27:18.447Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "36"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UK Membership of EU: Referendums"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has made any assessment of the suitability of different dates for the forthcoming EU referendum.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4051", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Glen"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Salisbury"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John Glen"}
], "uin" : "12046"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421321", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421321/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1556", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Rob Wilson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading East"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Rob Wilson"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421321/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "11984 FINAL.pdf"}
, "title" : "UKSA Letter to Member - Employment"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-19T11:05:51.813Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Living Wage: Warrington"}
, "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, if he will estimate how many people in (a) Warrington and (b) Warrington North constituency are employed in jobs paying less than the living wage.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/432", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Jones"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Warrington North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Helen Jones"}
], "uin" : "11984"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421365", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421365/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Innovate UK, Defra and BBSRC are co-funding the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Innovation Platform (SAFIP), worth £90 million over five years with match funding by industry. There are a number of projects funded under SAFIP on the development of alternative and diverse forages to optimise the sustainability of animal production in the UK.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Eustice"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Camborne and Redruth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Eustice"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-19T10:41:18.657Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Animal Feed"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department is making on research on the production of diverse forage mixtures to optimise animal production.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4022", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Oliver Colvile"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Oliver Colvile"}
], "uin" : "11790"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421478", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421478/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government is keen to promote cycling, and I am aware that bike racks on buses are commonplace in some countries. Whilst we have not conducted any assessments on their role in increasing overall bus patronage, I would encourage bus operators to consider fitting such equipment where it is safe and legal to do so.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3996", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Jones"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrogate and Knaresborough"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Jones"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-19T11:42:04.003Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Public Transport: Bicycles"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the provision of bike racks on buses on the number of people using public transport.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4445", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ben Howlett"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ben Howlett"}
], "uin" : "11881"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421479", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421479/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In the right circumstances, this Government supports light rail and other types of urban transit. They can play an important role in our local transport networks, help reduce congestion, reduce carbon emissions and increase low carbon travel. Introducing a light rail system is a local matter for the relevant local authority and Local Economic Partnership to consider based on their needs and funding priorities.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3996", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Jones"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrogate and Knaresborough"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Jones"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-19T11:38:06.447Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Trams"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the use of trams to increase low-carbon travel.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4445", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ben Howlett"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ben Howlett"}
], "uin" : "11875"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421482", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/421482/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government is committed to working to eliminate child poverty and improving life chances for children.<\/p> We are clear that the existing low-income measures do not drive the right action to tackle the root causes of child poverty. They simply deal with the symptoms.<\/p> We are now setting out a new way to drive effective action and make a real difference in the lives of disadvantaged children. Our proposals in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill introduce new statutory measures of worklessness and educational attainment. For the first time, we are ensuring through legislation that Government action will be focused on these areas, where the evidence tells us we can make the biggest difference for our children \u2013 now and in the future.<\/p> These measures will be reported annually, which means progress will be clearly visible for all to see. My Department will also continue to publish low-income statistics as part of the \u2018Households Below Average Income\u2019 publication.<\/p> The involvement of the Irish Government in cross-party talks is in accordance with the established three-stranded approach to Northern Ireland affairs and the 1998 Belfast Agreement. A commitment always to uphold the three-stranded approach was also contained in the Government\u2019s Northern Ireland manifesto at the General Election.<\/p>
"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4066", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Priti Patel"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Witham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Priti Patel"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-19T11:46:41.443Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Poverty"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2015 to Question 8870, whether the new life chances measures will monitor households where an adult is in work; and what steps he plans to take to measure the effects of welfare changes on child poverty for children in working households with low incomes.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4510", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Hayes"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dulwich and West Norwood"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Helen Hayes"}
], "uin" : "11922"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/420919", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Northern Ireland Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/420919/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4534", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Dunlop"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Dunlop"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-19T11:15:02.29Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "21"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Northern Ireland"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Northern Ireland"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Northern Ireland Government"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 18 September (HL2210), whether they can confirm that the government of the Republic of Ireland has not had representatives at any discussions other than those allowed by the 1998 Belfast Agreement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2479", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Laird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Laird"}
], "uin" : "HL2605"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/420923", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/420923/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "