To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what estimate the Electoral Commission has made of the proportion of unregistered voters who are functionally illiterate. (275408)

The Commission informs me that it has made no estimate of the proportion of unregistered voters who are functionally illiterate.

However, the Commission’s 2005 report, “Understanding electoral registration”, found a correlation between under-registration and those with no educational qualifications. This correlation is more pronounced for the younger age groups, with non-registration approximately 8 per cent. among 18 to 34-year-olds who hold some form of educational qualification and 15 per cent. for those reporting no qualifications.

To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what steps the Electoral Commission is taking to assist functionally illiterate people to register to vote. (275409)

The Commission informs me that it issues guidance to electoral registration officers (EROs) on providing assistance to people with low levels of literacy, and that it includes as part of its performance standards framework a requirement that EROs ensure that the registration process is straightforward and accessible for electors.

The Commission provides materials to help EROs and community groups to communicate with people with literacy or learning difficulties, and also funds, through its partnership grants programme, projects to increase registration among people with learning disabilities.