Electoral Register

Keith Vaz
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what steps she plans to take to maximise data-sharing in drawing up the electoral register;

(2) if she will place a duty on electoral registration officers to use all relevant available databases to compile the electoral register.

Bridget Prentice
The recent Electoral Administration Act 2006 requires electoral registration officers when drawing up the electoral register to make full use of their powers to use those records which they are permitted to access. They are currently able to inspect and take copies of any records kept by their own council, and to inspect and take copies of records kept by any registrar of births and deaths.

My Department is also currently exploring whether there are other records not covered by existing powers, to which it might be appropriate to allow an electoral registration officer access.

Keith Vaz
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what estimate she has made of the number of eligible voters not included on the electoral register;

(2) what estimate she has made of the number of eligible voters who are not registered.

Bridget Prentice
I have not made an estimate. However, the Electoral Commission in its research report ‘Understanding electoral registration’ published in September 2005 found that in the region of 3.5 million people across England and Wales who were eligible to be registered were missing from the register in 2000.

Keith Vaz
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what targets she plans to set for electoral registration officers to improve their electoral registers.

Bridget Prentice
I do not plan to set targets. However, we have made provision in the Electoral Administration Act for performance standards to be established. In future, the Electoral Commission will set standards for electoral administrators (including electoral registration officers) and require them to provide the Commission with returns and reports on their level of performance against the standards that have been set.

Keith Vaz
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate she has made of registration levels among black African voters.

Bridget Prentice
I have not made an estimate. However, the Electoral Commission in its research report “Understanding electoral registration” published in September 2005 found that 37 per cent. of black Africans who were otherwise eligible were not registered.

Keith Vaz
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what research she has undertaken of voting registration in different types of housing tenure.

Bridget Prentice
I have not undertaken any such research. However, the Electoral Commission in its research report “Understanding electoral registration” published in September 2005 found that 3 per cent. of people who own their property outright are not registered, while 27 per cent. of people who rent from a private landlord or letting agency are not registered.