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Year
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2009
Type
House
Session
Month
Department
Member
More
Primary member
Answering member
Legislative stage
Legislation
Subject
Publisher
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish his response to the Election Day: Weekend Voting consultation.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish his response to the Election Day: Weekend Voting consultation.
Asked by
Baroness Laing of Elderslie
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Wills
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
5 November 2009
For answer on
9 November 2009
Answered on
11 November 2009
The Government's response to the Election Day: Weekend Voting consultation will be published shortly in the context of the Government's wider thinking on promoting engagement in the electoral process. The responses to the consultation reveal that there is a wide range of views on whether weekend voting would have a positive impact on turnout.
Subjects
Voting behaviour
Date
11 November 2009
Reference
499 c476W; 299074
House
House of Commons
My Lords, the Government have already conducted a full public consultation on the merits of moving election day to the weekend and whether it could be expected to support greater participation. The Government’s response to the consultation will be published shortly in the context of the Government’s wider thinking on promoting engagement in the electoral process. However, the responses reveal that there is a wide range of views on whether weekend voting would have a positive impact on turnout.
My Lords, the Government have already conducted a full public consultation on the merits of moving election day to the weekend and whether it could be expected to support greater participation. The Government’s response to the consultation will be published shortly in the context of the Government’s wider thinking on promoting engagement in the electoral process. However, the responses reveal that there is a wide range of views on whether weekend voting would have a positive impact on turnout.
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Tyler
(Liberal Democrat)
Type
Oral answers to questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will examine and consult on the recommendation of the Electoral Commission that election turnout could be increased by transferring polling to weekends.
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c120
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, as my right honourable friend the Justice Secretary made absolutely clear on Friday, the document referred to by the Times newspaper was a working paper produced by officials collating ideas for further consideration. It does not represent agreed government policy. Had Ministers seen the proposals, officials would have been informed that many of them were simply unacceptable. They will not be developed any further.
My Lords, as my right honourable friend the Justice Secretary made absolutely clear on Friday, the document referred to by the Times newspaper was a working paper produced by officials collating ideas for further consideration. It does not represent agreed government policy. Had Ministers seen the proposals, officials would have been informed that many of them were simply unacceptable. They will not be developed any further.
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Tyler
(Liberal Democrat)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, I am truly grateful to the Minister, unusually, for that reply. Will he confirm that it is the Government’s overall intention to seek ways to increase participation in elections, particularly in parliamentary elections, because that is so crucial to the future of our democracy? Will he therefore take this opportunity to say in straight terms that the proposals of officials in the Ministry of Justice to the Treasury that there should be restrictions on the number of hours for polling and a marked reduction in the number of polling stations, particularly in rural areas, are dead and buried? Will he also confirm that Mr Straw said that these proposals were completely unknown to Ministers? In those circumstances, can he explain what would have happened if they had gone to the Treasury without being leaked? Would the Treasury then have sought to implement them without reference to Ministers?
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c120
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I am truly grateful to the Minister, unusually, for that reply. Will he confirm that it is the Government’s overall intention to seek ways to increase participation in elections, particularly in parliamentary elections, because that is so crucial to the future of our democracy? Will he therefore take this opportunity to say in straight terms that the proposals of officials in the Ministry of Justice to the Treasury that there should be restrictions on the number of hours for polling and a marked reduction in the number of polling stations, particularly in rural areas, are dead and buried? Will he also confirm that Mr Straw said that these proposals were completely unknown to Ministers? In those circumstances, can he explain what would have happened if they had gone to the Treasury without being leaked? Would the Treasury then have sought to implement them without reference to Ministers?
My Lords, I am truly grateful to the Minister, unusually, for that reply. Will he confirm that it is the Government’s overall intention to seek ways to increase participation in elections, particularly in parliamentary elections, because that is so crucial to the future of our democracy? Will he therefore take this opportunity to say in straight terms that the proposals of officials in the Ministry of Justice to the Treasury that there should be restrictions on the number of hours for polling and a marked reduction in the number of polling stations, particularly in rural areas, are dead and buried? Will he also confirm that Mr Straw said that these proposals were completely unknown to Ministers? In those circumstances, can he explain what would have happened if they had gone to the Treasury without being leaked? Would the Treasury then have sought to implement them without reference to Ministers?
Asked by
Lord Tyler
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
3 November 2009
My Lords, as my right honourable friend the Justice Secretary made absolutely clear on Friday, the document referred to by the Times newspaper was a working paper produced by officials collating ideas for further consideration. It does not represent agreed government policy. Had Ministers seen the proposals, officials would have been informed that many of them were simply unacceptable. They will not be developed any further.
Subjects
Elections; Opening hours; Polling stations; Voting behaviour; Public consultation
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c120
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I am seldom lobbied on any matter to do with the business of the House, mostly because my friends and family recognise that I have very little influence over the business of the House. However, I am lobbied constantly on the disruption to the lives of working parents when schools are closed on Thursdays for elections. Does the Minister agree, now that more mothers are participating in paid employment, that it is important to recognise this when responding to the consultation exercise that has taken place?
My Lords, I am seldom lobbied on any matter to do with the business of the House, mostly because my friends and family recognise that I have very little influence over the business of the House. However, I am lobbied constantly on the disruption to the lives of working parents when schools are closed on Thursdays for elections. Does the Minister agree, now that more mothers are participating in paid employment, that it is important to recognise this when responding to the consultation exercise that has taken place?
Asked by
Baroness Prosser
(Labour)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
3 November 2009
My Lords, certainly it is an important consideration. There is another consideration on the other side—there always is—which is that people do not always like to have their weekends disrupted.
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c122
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, are there not reasons profounder than the possible inconvenience of voting on a Thursday why turnout at elections has declined? Does my noble friend think that they may include public revulsion at adversarial politics and negative campaigning, disillusion with a consumer model of politics, routine trivialisation and disparagement of politics by the media and loss of respect for politicians?
My Lords, are there not reasons profounder than the possible inconvenience of voting on a Thursday why turnout at elections has declined? Does my noble friend think that they may include public revulsion at adversarial politics and negative campaigning, disillusion with a consumer model of politics, routine trivialisation and disparagement of politics by the media and loss of respect for politicians?
Asked by
Lord Howarth of Newport
(Labour)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
3 November 2009
My Lords, there clearly are a large number of reasons why in recent decades the number of people voting at general elections has on the whole gone down. However, I should point out that the 2005 turnout was higher than the 2001 turnout. I am sure that my noble friend has stated some of the reasons why that has happened and it is right that we, particularly in this House, should defend politics. There is no doubt that politics and politicians get a very raw deal at present from what passes to be the media in this country.
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c120-1
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, is it not the case that when people are sufficiently enthused and motivated by political parties and candidates, and by the democratic political system, they will go out and vote; and that until such time as they are, no matter what tinkering the Government want to do with the mechanics of voting, people have a perfect right to stay at home and say, "We are having nothing to do with any of you"?
My Lords, is it not the case that when people are sufficiently enthused and motivated by political parties and candidates, and by the democratic political system, they will go out and vote; and that until such time as they are, no matter what tinkering the Government want to do with the mechanics of voting, people have a perfect right to stay at home and say, "We are having nothing to do with any of you"?
Asked by
Lord Greaves
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
3 November 2009
My Lords, in strict legal terms, of course they have a perfect right to stay at home. Whether they have the right in other ways, I am not as convinced as the noble Lord. Many people gave a lot of time and blood to make sure that those over the age of 21—except of course those in this House—had the right to vote. That is something that should be taken extremely seriously. Enthusiasm about politics and politicians is very important, and politicians have a role to play in that. However, if I may go back to an earlier theme, so too do the media.
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c123
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, following on from what the noble Lord, Lord Howarth, said about people being alienated from the electoral process, does the Minister accept that his Government’s policies are wrong, particularly on matters such as immigration—even the Home Secretary has admitted that—and have been wrong over the past few years, which has led to support for fringe parties such as the BNP and, as the noble Lord, Lord Howarth, said, to a large number of people being alienated from the voting process?
My Lords, following on from what the noble Lord, Lord Howarth, said about people being alienated from the electoral process, does the Minister accept that his Government’s policies are wrong, particularly on matters such as immigration—even the Home Secretary has admitted that—and have been wrong over the past few years, which has led to support for fringe parties such as the BNP and, as the noble Lord, Lord Howarth, said, to a large number of people being alienated from the voting process?
Asked by
Lord Henley
(Conservative)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
3 November 2009
My Lords, I do not agree at all with what the noble Lord suggests. The fact is that all political parties from time to time face the onslaught of the media, including individual and party politicians. That is a danger which we all face in a democracy such as ours. For the noble Lord to categorise one aspect of policy as if that somehow led to one result does not give enough seriousness to the issue we face.
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c121
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, there clearly are a large number of reasons why in recent decades the number of people voting at general elections has on the whole gone down. However, I should point out that the 2005 turnout was higher than the 2001 turnout. I am sure that my noble friend has stated some of the reasons why that has happened and it is right that we, particularly in this House, should defend politics. There is no doubt that politics and politicians get a very raw deal at present from what passes to be the media in this country.
My Lords, there clearly are a large number of reasons why in recent decades the number of people voting at general elections has on the whole gone down. However, I should point out that the 2005 turnout was higher than the 2001 turnout. I am sure that my noble friend has stated some of the reasons why that has happened and it is right that we, particularly in this House, should defend politics. There is no doubt that politics and politicians get a very raw deal at present from what passes to be the media in this country.
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Howarth of Newport
(Labour)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, are there not reasons profounder than the possible inconvenience of voting on a Thursday why turnout at elections has declined? Does my noble friend think that they may include public revulsion at adversarial politics and negative campaigning, disillusion with a consumer model of politics, routine trivialisation and disparagement of politics by the media and loss of respect for politicians?
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c120-1
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, certainly it is an important consideration. There is another consideration on the other side—there always is—which is that people do not always like to have their weekends disrupted.
My Lords, certainly it is an important consideration. There is another consideration on the other side—there always is—which is that people do not always like to have their weekends disrupted.
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Prosser
(Labour)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, I am seldom lobbied on any matter to do with the business of the House, mostly because my friends and family recognise that I have very little influence over the business of the House. However, I am lobbied constantly on the disruption to the lives of working parents when schools are closed on Thursdays for elections. Does the Minister agree, now that more mothers are participating in paid employment, that it is important to recognise this when responding to the consultation exercise that has taken place?
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c122
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, given that the Electoral Commission now costs more than £100 million over the course of a Parliament— £25 million a year—which is more than all the political parties will spend altogether on all the elections conducted during the course of a Parliament, including a general election, does the Minister not think that this body has too much time and money on its hands?
My Lords, given that the Electoral Commission now costs more than £100 million over the course of a Parliament— £25 million a year—which is more than all the political parties will spend altogether on all the elections conducted during the course of a Parliament, including a general election, does the Minister not think that this body has too much time and money on its hands?
Asked by
Lord Forsyth of Drumlean
(Conservative)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
3 November 2009
My Lords, I do not. The noble Lord will remember, from legislation that this House helped to pass a few months ago, that we have reformed the Electoral Commission so that it can do its job even better than it does at the moment.
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c122
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, when the Government respond to the consultation on voting will they indicate whether they have taken into account the fact that France, Germany, Spain, Italy and a majority of countries in the European Union hold their voting in general elections at weekends? What impact might that have on voting turnout?
My Lords, when the Government respond to the consultation on voting will they indicate whether they have taken into account the fact that France, Germany, Spain, Italy and a majority of countries in the European Union hold their voting in general elections at weekends? What impact might that have on voting turnout?
Asked by
Lord Maclennan of Rogart
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
3 November 2009
I am sure that we will take account of what happens in other countries. The Electoral Commission survey led to this Question. It made an interesting finding, but it is perhaps worth noting that the answers to the survey, particularly when responding to a prompt from an interviewer, as was the case here—I remind the House that the commission asked non-voters if the opportunity to vote at the weekend would have made them more or less likely to vote—are not always a good indicator of voter behaviour, perhaps in part because people still feel some social obligation to vote.
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c122
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I do not. The noble Lord will remember, from legislation that this House helped to pass a few months ago, that we have reformed the Electoral Commission so that it can do its job even better than it does at the moment.
My Lords, I do not. The noble Lord will remember, from legislation that this House helped to pass a few months ago, that we have reformed the Electoral Commission so that it can do its job even better than it does at the moment.
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Forsyth of Drumlean
(Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, given that the Electoral Commission now costs more than £100 million over the course of a Parliament— £25 million a year—which is more than all the political parties will spend altogether on all the elections conducted during the course of a Parliament, including a general election, does the Minister not think that this body has too much time and money on its hands?
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c122
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
I am sure that we will take account of what happens in other countries. The Electoral Commission survey led to this Question. It made an interesting finding, but it is perhaps worth noting that the answers to the survey, particularly when responding to a prompt from an interviewer, as was the case here—I remind the House that the commission asked non-voters if the opportunity to vote at the weekend would have made them more or less likely to vote—are not always a good indicator of voter behaviour, perhaps in part because people still feel some social obligation to vote.
I am sure that we will take account of what happens in other countries. The Electoral Commission survey led to this Question. It made an interesting finding, but it is perhaps worth noting that the answers to the survey, particularly when responding to a prompt from an interviewer, as was the case here—I remind the House that the commission asked non-voters if the opportunity to vote at the weekend would have made them more or less likely to vote—are not always a good indicator of voter behaviour, perhaps in part because people still feel some social obligation to vote.
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Maclennan of Rogart
(Liberal Democrat)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, when the Government respond to the consultation on voting will they indicate whether they have taken into account the fact that France, Germany, Spain, Italy and a majority of countries in the European Union hold their voting in general elections at weekends? What impact might that have on voting turnout?
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c122
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I do not agree at all with what the noble Lord suggests. The fact is that all political parties from time to time face the onslaught of the media, including individual and party politicians. That is a danger which we all face in a democracy such as ours. For the noble Lord to categorise one aspect of policy as if that somehow led to one result does not give enough seriousness to the issue we face.
My Lords, I do not agree at all with what the noble Lord suggests. The fact is that all political parties from time to time face the onslaught of the media, including individual and party politicians. That is a danger which we all face in a democracy such as ours. For the noble Lord to categorise one aspect of policy as if that somehow led to one result does not give enough seriousness to the issue we face.
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Henley
(Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, following on from what the noble Lord, Lord Howarth, said about people being alienated from the electoral process, does the Minister accept that his Government’s policies are wrong, particularly on matters such as immigration—even the Home Secretary has admitted that—and have been wrong over the past few years, which has led to support for fringe parties such as the BNP and, as the noble Lord, Lord Howarth, said, to a large number of people being alienated from the voting process?
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c121
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, in strict legal terms, of course they have a perfect right to stay at home. Whether they have the right in other ways, I am not as convinced as the noble Lord. Many people gave a lot of time and blood to make sure that those over the age of 21—except of course those in this House—had the right to vote. That is something that should be taken extremely seriously. Enthusiasm about politics and politicians is very important, and politicians have a role to play in that. However, if I may go back to an earlier theme, so too do the media.
My Lords, in strict legal terms, of course they have a perfect right to stay at home. Whether they have the right in other ways, I am not as convinced as the noble Lord. Many people gave a lot of time and blood to make sure that those over the age of 21—except of course those in this House—had the right to vote. That is something that should be taken extremely seriously. Enthusiasm about politics and politicians is very important, and politicians have a role to play in that. However, if I may go back to an earlier theme, so too do the media.
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Greaves
(Liberal Democrat)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, is it not the case that when people are sufficiently enthused and motivated by political parties and candidates, and by the democratic political system, they will go out and vote; and that until such time as they are, no matter what tinkering the Government want to do with the mechanics of voting, people have a perfect right to stay at home and say, "We are having nothing to do with any of you"?
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c123
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, on the first part of my noble friend’s question, which is very much relevant to the Question I was originally asked, e-voting, as he knows, has been trialled in statutory elections in the UK and it certainly remains one of many possibilities for further consideration as a voting method. But the introduction of voting by internet would require careful consideration. We would have to be sure that the necessary technological and legislative provisions were in place to maintain confidence in the electoral process. Of course, that would require primary legislation, too; and I have to tell him that it would not be right to bring forward changes of such substance to the parliamentary election rules this close to a general election. Indeed, if we did, we would be criticised for it.
My Lords, on the first part of my noble friend’s question, which is very much relevant to the Question I was originally asked, e-voting, as he knows, has been trialled in statutory elections in the UK and it certainly remains one of many possibilities for further consideration as a voting method. But the introduction of voting by internet would require careful consideration. We would have to be sure that the necessary technological and legislative provisions were in place to maintain confidence in the electoral process. Of course, that would require primary legislation, too; and I have to tell him that it would not be right to bring forward changes of such substance to the parliamentary election rules this close to a general election. Indeed, if we did, we would be criticised for it.
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Maxton
(Labour)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, given that we live in an electronic age in which most of us use computers on a regular basis, does my noble friend agree that it is time we introduced electronic voting in this country to ensure that the maximum number of people can vote from a maximum number of places? Does that not mean, to ensure security, that we must eventually introduce compulsory ID cards?
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c121
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, given that we live in an electronic age in which most of us use computers on a regular basis, does my noble friend agree that it is time we introduced electronic voting in this country to ensure that the maximum number of people can vote from a maximum number of places? Does that not mean, to ensure security, that we must eventually introduce compulsory ID cards?
My Lords, given that we live in an electronic age in which most of us use computers on a regular basis, does my noble friend agree that it is time we introduced electronic voting in this country to ensure that the maximum number of people can vote from a maximum number of places? Does that not mean, to ensure security, that we must eventually introduce compulsory ID cards?
Asked by
Lord Maxton
(Labour)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
3 November 2009
My Lords, on the first part of my noble friend’s question, which is very much relevant to the Question I was originally asked, e-voting, as he knows, has been trialled in statutory elections in the UK and it certainly remains one of many possibilities for further consideration as a voting method. But the introduction of voting by internet would require careful consideration. We would have to be sure that the necessary technological and legislative provisions were in place to maintain confidence in the electoral process. Of course, that would require primary legislation, too; and I have to tell him that it would not be right to bring forward changes of such substance to the parliamentary election rules this close to a general election. Indeed, if we did, we would be criticised for it.
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c121
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will examine and consult on the recommendation of the Electoral Commission that election turnout could be increased by transferring polling to weekends.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will examine and consult on the recommendation of the Electoral Commission that election turnout could be increased by transferring polling to weekends.
Asked by
Lord Tyler
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Bach
(Labour)
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Procedure
Topical questions (HL)
For answer on
3 November 2009
Answered on
3 November 2009
My Lords, the Government have already conducted a full public consultation on the merits of moving election day to the weekend and whether it could be expected to support greater participation. The Government’s response to the consultation will be published shortly in the context of the Government’s wider thinking on promoting engagement in the electoral process. However, the responses reveal that there is a wide range of views on whether weekend voting would have a positive impact on turnout.
Subjects
Elections; Public consultation; Voting behaviour
Date
3 November 2009
Reference
714 c120
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the votes cast at each of the mayoral elections this year were not counted in the second round due to (1) no second preference being expressed, (2) first and second preferences being given to the same candidate, and (3) second preference being...
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the votes cast at each of the mayoral elections this year were not counted in the second round due to (1) no second preference being expressed, (2) first and second preferences being given to the same candidate, and (3) second preference being...
Asked by
Lord Greaves
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord McKenzie of Luton
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
27 October 2009
This information is not held centrally.
Subjects
Elections; Local government executive; Voting behaviour
Date
27 October 2009
Reference
713 c124WA; 5791
House
House of Lords