1

House of Commons

Notices of Amendments

given up to and including

Friday 22 March 2019

New Amendments handed in are marked thus

Amendments which will comply with the required notice period at their next appearance

Consideration of Bill (Report Stage)

Overseas Electors Bill

Note

This document includes all amendments tabled to date and includes any

withdrawn amendments at the end. The amendments have been arranged in the

order in which they relate to the Bill.

A Clause (NC1) (Prompt to register as an overseas elector) — (Philip Davies) Brought

up, and read the first time as follows—

(1)    

If the registration officer receives information that leads him or her to believe that

a registered elector has moved, or is going to move, outside the United Kingdom,

the registration officer shall contact that elector to prompt him or her to register

as an overseas elector.

(2)    

The Electoral Commission may issue guidance for contact under subsection (1).”

Question proposed, That the Clause be read a second time.

Philip Davies

NC2

To move the following Clause—

“Registration as an overseas elector and donations to registered political

parties

(1)    

The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 is amended as

follows.

Notices of Amendments: 22 March 2019                  

2

Overseas Electors Bill, continued

(2)    

In section 54 (permissible donors), in paragraph (2)(a), for “registered in an

electoral register” substitute—

“resident in the United Kingdom and registered in an electoral

register;

(aa)    

an overseas elector and registered in an electoral register at the

time of the donation;”

Philip Davies

NC3

To move the following Clause—

“Report on awareness of how to participate in elections as an overseas elector

(1)    

The Minister for the Cabinet Office or the Secretary of State must publish a report

on levels of awareness of how to participate in parliamentary elections as a UK

elector among—

(a)    

persons entitled to vote as an overseas elector under the provisions of this

Act, and

(b)    

overseas electors in general.

(2)    

The report shall consider awareness of—

(a)    

the law governing entitlement to qualify and vote as an overseas elector,

(b)    

the processes of registering and voting, and

(c)    

other matters as the Minister for the Cabinet Office or the Secretary of

State sees fit.

(3)    

The report shall set out any steps the Minister for the Cabinet Office or the

Secretary of State intends to take to increase awareness of—

(a)    

how to participate in elections as an overseas elector, and

(b)    

the provisions of this Act.”

Philip Davies

NC4

To move the following Clause—

“Report on effects of extension of franchise

(1)    

The Minister for the Cabinet Office or the Secretary of State must publish a report

assessing the likely effects of the extension of the franchise in section 1 of this

Act and any measures necessary in response to those effects.

(2)    

The report must contain assessments of—

(a)    

how many British citizens currently resident overseas are eligible to

register as overseas electors, and how many are likely to be eligible if the

15-year time limits under sections 1(3)(c) and 1(4)(a) of the

Representation of the People Act 1985 were removed;

(b)    

any possible increased risk of electoral fraud by those purporting to be

overseas electors related to the provisions in this Act;

Notices of Amendments: 22 March 2019                  

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Overseas Electors Bill, continued

(c)    

whether current election timetables are of sufficient duration to enable

the full participation of any increased numbers of overseas electors.”

Philip Davies

NC5

To move the following Clause—

“Report on the representation of overseas electors

(1)    

The Minister for the Cabinet Office or the Secretary of State shall, within 12

months of this section coming into force, lay before Parliament a report on the

representation of overseas electors.

(2)    

That report shall include—

(a)    

consideration of how well overseas electors are represented by their MPs

and any related consequences of the provisions of this Act,

(b)    

an assessment of any additional demands that may be placed on MPs and

their resources as a consequence of the provisions of this Act,

(c)    

any plans the Government has to monitor the representation of overseas

electors, and

(d)    

an assessment of alternative models of representation of overseas

electors, including the creation of overseas constituencies.”

Philip Davies

NC6

To move the following Clause—

“Review of absent vote arrangements

(1)    

The Minister for the Cabinet Office or the Secretary of State shall—

(a)    

review absent voting arrangements to consider whether they allow

sufficient time for overseas electors to participate adequately in

parliamentary elections, taking into account the likely effects of the

provisions of this Act;

(b)    

consult the Electoral Commission, local authorities and the Association

of Electoral Administrators as part of the review; and

(c)    

lay before Parliament a report on the review and any steps to be taken as

a result.”

Notices of Amendments: 22 March 2019                  

4

Overseas Electors Bill, continued

Philip Davies

NC7

To move the following Clause—

“Report on postal voting arrangements for overseas electors

(1)    

The Minister for the Cabinet Office or the Secretary of State shall publish a report

on postal voting arrangements for overseas electors.

(2)    

The report shall set out—

(a)    

any barriers to the participation of overseas electors in parliamentary

elections, including in—

(i)    

the availability of pre-paid postal services for returning ballot

papers,

(ii)    

the financial resources of returning officers, and

(iii)    

capacity in the specialist print and production markets to meet

absent vote and ballot paper requirements;

(b)    

whether any such barriers are likely to become more significant or

widespread as a result of the extension of the franchise in the provisions

of this Act, including in particular countries and regions;

(c)    

any steps to be taken to make it easier for overseas electors to participate

in parliamentary elections.

(3)    

The report shall, in particular, consider the effectiveness and cost of the

International Business Response Licence for postal votes and any associated

implications of the provisions of this Act.”

Philip Davies

NC8

To move the following Clause—

“Report on overseas electors in other national elections

The Minister for the Cabinet Office or the Secretary of State must publish a report

on qualification requirements for non-resident citizens to participate in national

elections in other countries.”

Philip Davies

NC9

To move the following Clause—

“Evaluation of the effects of the Act

(1)    

The Minister for the Cabinet Office or the Secretary of State must, within 12

months of the provisions of this Act coming into force, lay before Parliament a

report evaluating the effects of the Act and the extent to which it has met its

objectives.

Notices of Amendments: 22 March 2019                  

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Overseas Electors Bill, continued

(2)    

That report must include assessments of the effects on numbers of overseas

electors registered in each parliamentary constituency.”

Philip Davies

NC10

To move the following Clause—

“Closing date for electoral registration applications by overseas electors

(1)    

The Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 are

amended as follows.

(2)    

In regulation 56, after paragraph (7), insert—

“(8)    

This regulation does not apply to applications by overseas electors.”

(3)    

After regulation 56 insert—

“56A  

Closing date for electoral registration applications by overseas

electors

(1)    

The provisions in this regulation relate to applications to vote by post or

proxy by overseas electors in parliamentary elections.

(2)    

An application by an overseas elector under paragraph 3(6) or (7) of

Schedule 4 shall be disregarded for the purposes of a particular

parliamentary election and an application under paragraph 4(3) of

Schedule 4 shall be refused if it is received by the registration officer after

5 p.m. on the eighteenth day before the date of the poll at that election.

(3)    

An application under paragraph 3(1) or (2), or 6(7) or 7(4) of Schedule 4

shall be disregarded for the purposes of a particular parliamentary

election if it is received by the registration officer after 5 p.m. on the

thirteenth day before the date of the poll at that election.

(4)    

An application under paragraph 4(1) or (2) or 6(8) of Schedule 4 shall be

refused if it is received by the registration officer after 5 p.m. on the

thirteenth day before the date of the poll at the election for which it is

made.

(5)    

An application under paragraph 7(7) of Schedule 4 shall be refused if it

is received by the registration officer after 5 p.m. on the eighteenth day

before the date of the poll at the election for which it is made.

(6)    

An application under—

(a)    

paragraph 3(5)(a) of Schedule 4 by an elector to be removed

from the record kept under paragraph 3(4) of that Schedule, or

(b)    

paragraph 7(9)(a) of Schedule 4 by a proxy to be removed from

the record kept under paragraph 7(6) of that Schedule,

and a notice under paragraph 6(10) of that Schedule by an elector

cancelling a proxy’s appointment shall be disregarded for the purposes of

a particular parliamentary election if it is received by the registration

officer after—

(i)    

5 p.m. on the eighteenth day before the date of the poll

at that election in the case of an application by an elector

Notices of Amendments: 22 March 2019                  

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Overseas Electors Bill, continued

who is entitled to vote by post to be removed from the

record kept under paragraph 3(4) of Schedule 4, and

(ii)    

5 p.m. on the thirteenth day before the date of the poll at

that election in any other case.

(7)    

In computing a period of days for the purposes of this regulation, the

same rules shall apply as in regulation 56.”

(4)    

The Representation of the People (Scotland) Regulations 2001 are amended as

follows.

(5)    

In regulation 56, after paragraph (7), insert—

“(8)    

This regulation does not apply to applications by overseas electors.”

(6)    

After regulation 56 insert—

“56A  

Closing date for electoral registration applications by overseas

electors

(1)    

The provisions in this regulation relate to applications to vote by post or

proxy by overseas electors in parliamentary elections.

(2)    

An application by an overseas elector under paragraph 3(6) or (7) of

Schedule 4 shall be disregarded for the purposes of a particular

parliamentary election and an application under paragraph 4(3) of

Schedule 4 shall be refused if it is received by the registration officer after

5 p.m. on the eighteenth day before the date of the poll at that election.

(3)    

An application under paragraph 3(1) or (2), or 6(7) or 7(4) of Schedule 4

shall be disregarded for the purposes of a particular parliamentary

election if it is received by the registration officer after 5 p.m. on the

thirteenth day before the date of the poll at that election.

(4)    

An application under paragraph 4(1) or (2) or 6(8) of Schedule 4 shall be

refused if it is received by the registration officer after 5 p.m. on the

thirteenth day before the date of the poll at the election for which it is

made.

(5)    

An application under paragraph 7(7) of Schedule 4 shall be refused if it

is received by the registration officer after 5 p.m. on the eighteenth day

before the date of the poll at the election for which it is made.

(6)    

An application under—

(a)    

paragraph 3(5)(a) of Schedule 4 by an elector to be removed

from the record kept under paragraph 3(4) of that Schedule, or

(b)    

paragraph 7(9)(a) of Schedule 4 by a proxy to be removed from

the record kept under paragraph 7(6) of that Schedule,

and a notice under paragraph 6(10) of that Schedule by an elector

cancelling a proxy’s appointment shall be disregarded for the purposes of

a particular parliamentary election if it is received by the registration

officer after—

(i)    

5 p.m. on the eighteenth day before the date of the poll

at that election in the case of an application by an elector

who is entitled to vote by post to be removed from the

record kept under paragraph 3(4) of Schedule 4, and

(ii)    

5 p.m. on the thirteenth day before the date of the poll at

that election in any other case.

(7)    

In computing a period of days for the purposes of this regulation, the

same rules shall apply as in regulation 56.”

Notices of Amendments: 22 March 2019                  

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Overseas Electors Bill, continued

(7)    

The Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2001 are

amended as follows.

(8)    

In regulation 57, after paragraph (6), insert—

“(7)    

This regulation does not apply to applications by overseas electors.”

(9)    

After regulation 57 insert—

“57A  

Closing date for electoral registration applications by overseas

electors

(1)    

The provisions in this regulation relate to applications to vote by post or

proxy by overseas electors in parliamentary elections.

(2)    

An application under section 6(1) or (5), 8(6) or 9(4) of the 1985 Act shall

be disregarded for the purposes of a particular election if it is received by

the registration officer after 5 p.m. on the twenty-first day before the day

of the poll at that election.

(3)    

Subject to paragraph (4) below, an application under section 7(1) or (2),

8(7) or 9(7) or (8) of the 1985 Act shall be refused if it is received by the

registration officer after 5 p.m. on the twenty-first day before the day of

the poll at the election for which is made.

(4)    

Paragraph (3) above shall not apply to an application which satisfies the

requirements of either paragraphs (6) and (7) or paragraph (8) of

regulation 55 above; and such an application shall be refused if it is

received by the registration officer after 5 p.m. on the thirteenth day

before the day of the poll at the election for which it is made.

(5)    

An application under—

(a)    

section 6(4)(a) of the 1985 Act by an elector to be removed from

the record kept under section 6(3) of that Act, or

(b)    

section 9(11)(a) of that Act by a proxy to be removed from the

record kept under section 9(6) of that Act,

and a notice under section 8(9) of that Act by an elector cancelling a

proxy’s appointment shall be disregarded for the purposes of a particular

election if it is received by the registration officer after 5 p.m. on the

twenty-first day before the date of the poll at that election.

(6)    

In computing a period of days for the purposes of this regulation, the

same rules shall apply as in regulation 57.”

Philip Davies

NC11

To move the following Clause—

“Offence of registering to vote as overseas elector in more than one

constituency

(1)    

A person commits an offence if he or she is an overseas elector and is

simultaneously registered to vote in more than one constituency.