In April 2016 (the nearest available data point to the 2016 EU Referendum) there were 10,500 Service personnel stationed overseas and in April 2017 (the closest data point to the 2017 General Election) there were 9,200. However, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold information to indicate the numbers or percentage of these personnel who were registered to vote or who actually voted. With regard to postal votes, the MOD does not hold data which would give an accurate analysis of the number of ballot papers submitted by Service personnel, as the voter packs processed by the Department also include the dependents of Service personnel, MOD civilian personnel based abroad and the dependents of civilian personnel. In addition, some personnel may have chosen alternative methods of returning their ballot papers.<\/p>
Registration is a personal matter and personnel are free to decide whether, where and how they register to vote. The MOD works closely with the Electoral Commission to promote awareness among its people of the importance of registering to vote and of the options for doing so. Voter registration campaigns are run yearly within the MOD and the Department has seen a steady rise in the number of Armed Forces personnel who have declared they have registered. The latest version of the Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS, 2017) indicates that 96 per cent of Officers and 81 per cent of Other Ranks who completed the AFCAS were registered to vote. Table B22.1 of the AFCAS provides figures on voter registration by Service and by year from 2013. The Surveys can be found on the Government website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/armed-forces-continuous-attitude-survey-index<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2000", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Earl Howe"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Earl Howe"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL632"} , {"_value" : "HL633"} , {"_value" : "HL634"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-19T15:26:32.457Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Flood Control"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what percentage of British armed forces posted abroad are on the electoral register.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Lexden"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Lexden"} ], "uin" : "HL631"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/748827", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/748827/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bIn November 2016 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office expressed concern at the National People's Congress Standing Committee's decision to express its interpretation of the Basic Law before conclusion of related legal proceedings in Hong Kong. The cases referred to are a matter for the Hong Kong Courts. We believe that the rule of its law remains robust overall thanks in part to its world class independent judiciary.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-19T16:09:36.31Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of the People's Republic of China to ensure that those pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong who are currently on trial or facing disqualification from taking their seats in the Legislative Council receive a fair and just hearing, and that the rule of law is upheld.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"} ], "uin" : "HL490"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/748828", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/748828/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
I issued a Written Ministerial Statement on 29 June, HLWS17, to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region which outlined our assessment of the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle, as well as referencing specific concerns over its implementation. The UK believes that it is vital for Hong Kong's continued success that the Special Administrative Region's high degree of autonomy and rule of law are preserved and that the principle of 'One Country, Two Systems' is fully upheld.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-19T15:55:51.277Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the current implementation of the one country, two systems principle in Hong Kong, 20 years after the anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"} ], "uin" : "HL491"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/748829", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/748829/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific held a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador on 5 July in which he made clear that the UK Government did not accept the position of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson that the Joint Declaration was an historical document of no practical significance. He stressed that, as a guarantor of the Joint Declaration, the UK Government regarded it as legitimate to continue to issue a six-monthly report to the House on Hong Kong affairs.<\/p>
The Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Beijing also raised the Government's concerns with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 5 July stressing that the Joint Declaration is a legally binding treaty, registered with the UN. As a co-signatory, the UK Government is committed to monitoring its implementation closely.<\/p>