Prisoner Voting

Mr. Heald
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2007, Official Report, column 632W, on prisoner voting, what length of time allows a remand prisoner to be regarded as a resident and therefore allowed to vote in the constituency where the prison is located.

Bridget Prentice
The term 'sufficient' is not defined in electoral law. The electoral registration officer is required to determine whether the anticipated length of time a person is detained on remand is sufficient to allow entry onto the register in the constituency where that person is held.