To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment the Commission has made of the accuracy of the Electoral Register. (232974)

The Electoral Commission informs me that its 2005 report, ‘Understanding Electoral Registration’, found that the best estimate for non- registration among the eligible household population in England and Wales at 15 October 2000 was between 8 per cent. and 9 per cent. The report is available in the House of Commons Library and on the Commission's website.

In addition, the Commission published in October 2007 the findings of a report by GfK NOP into registration in London: The completeness and accuracy of the Electoral Registers in Greater London—a pilot study, which is available on its website.

The Commission also informs me that it is planning to undertake a review of local Electoral Registers in a small sample of local authority areas. This is due to begin in early 2009.