asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice his Department will issue to returning officers regarding the attestation of applications on RPF 9 for absent votes by electors resident in the same qualifying address on grounds which are common to all the applicants.

We have no plans to issue such advice. Under the Representation of the People Regulations 1986 each individual applicant for an absent vote at a particular election must have his application attested by a person who is aged 18 years or over, knows the applicant but is not related to him, and has not attested any other application in respect of that election.