Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Voter ID

Thursday 15 June 2023 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Committee discussed the Electoral Commission's work to support voter ID implementation in March.
  • The Electoral Commission researched key groups needing support for ID requirements and worked with stakeholders ahead of May elections.
  • The Electoral Commission will publish findings from the May local election roll-out and a full protocol report in September.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Richard Thomson
Democracy & Elections
Context

The Committee seeks to understand the discussions with the Electoral Commission on voter ID implementation in different regions.

Question

What recent discussions has the Committee had with the Electoral Commission on the implementation of voter ID in Scotland, Wales and England ahead of national elections?

Answer from Cat Smith

The Committee discussed the Commission's work to support the implementation of voter ID at its public evidence session in March. The Commission supported voters, campaigners and electoral administrators ahead of local elections in England in May. Its research shows that public awareness increased from 22% in December 2022 to 87% in April 2023.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Patricia Gibson SNP
Democracy & Elections
Context

New rules for identity checks in postal and proxy voting have raised concerns among civil society groups about barriers to older people's voting.

Question

What concerns and ongoing discussions does the Electoral Commission have with the UK Government on proposals requiring identity checks for postal and proxy voting ahead of general elections, alongside any consultations with stakeholders?

Answer from Cat Smith

The Commission has done research to identify key groups who may need additional support for ID requirements, including over-85s. It worked ahead of May elections with civil society organisations and local authorities to produce tailored resources for each group.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Details on concerns and ongoing discussions with the UK Government are not provided.

How: Policy Decisions Are For Government.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Kirsten Oswald SNP
Democracy & Elections
Context

A former Cabinet Minister claimed that new voter ID rules could disenfranchise voters, citing examples of people being turned away due to lack of proper identification.

Question

What steps are being taken to ensure that voters are not disenfranchised by the introduction of voter ID requirements?

Answer from Cat Smith

The introduction of voter ID was debated and passed by Parliament. The Electoral Commission supports electoral administrators; policy decisions are for the Government.

Not addressed: Steps to prevent disenfranchisement were not addressed.

How: Policy Decisions Are For Government.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q4 Richard Thomson
Democracy & Elections
Context

The Under-Secretary of State claimed the roll-out was successful based on anecdotal feedback, but the Electoral Commission warned about delaying it.

Question

What steps are being taken by the Electoral Commission to evaluate the success of voter ID roll-out and what findings have been published?

Answer from Cat Smith

The Electoral Commission will publish responses and findings from the local election roll-out in May. A report focusing specifically on voter ID will be available shortly, with a full protocol report due in September covering evidence gathered by returning officers across England.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)