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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

If the chief electoral officer, who has the ultimate responsibility for electoral law and the canvass in Northern Ireland, requests a canvass before or during 2010, the Minister seems to be indicating that the Secretary of State can maintain that it is not in the public interest to do so. Under what circumstances would it not be in the public interest to act as recommended by the chief electoral officer? Electoral fraud is very much an issue of public interest, particularly in Northern Ireland. For this reason, the canvass’s being maintained should not be left at the behest of the Secretary of State. The Minister seemed to indicate in his opening remarks that the valid argument which the noble Baroness, the noble Lord and I had put to him was convincing him that 10 years was perhaps too long and that four years was the right amount of time. However, towards the end of his remarks, he seemed to talk his way out of it. Where are we on that?