asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Service voters were on the Service register for Northern Ireland and how many cast their votes at the General Election.

There were approximately 25,000 electors on the May Service Register in Northern Ireland. As regards the second part of the Question, I would ask my hon. Friend to await the information as to the proportion of the Service electorate who voted by post or by proxy which, as I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Maldon (Mr. Driberg) last week, I hope shortly to lay before Parliament.

May I ask whether this small proportion of the total population serving in the Forces—1,250,000—explains the return of 11 Tory Members in Northern Ireland?