sc502211.153-156

House of Commons

Session 2005 - 06
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

S.C.B.
153

House of Commons

Tuesday 22nd November 2005

Standing Committee Proceedings

Standing Committee B

Electoral Administration Bill

(Except Clauses Nos. 9 to 18; any new Clauses or new Schedules relating to Part 2 or Part 3

of the Bill; any new Clauses or new Schedules relating to the procedure to be followed at an

election on the death of a candidate; and any new Clauses or new Schedules relating to can

didates standing in more than one constituency at an election.)

[Fifth Sitting]

Ms Diana R. Johnson

Withdrawn  28

Schedule  1,  page  82,  line  9,  leave out ‘18’ and insert ‘16’.

Ms Diana R. Johnson

Not called  29

Schedule  1,  page  82,  line  21,  leave out ‘18’ and insert ‘16’.

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

Mr Henry Bellingham

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Withdrawn  67

Schedule  1,  page  83,  line  7,  leave out paragraph (b).

Ms Diana R. Johnson

Not called  27

Schedule  1,  page  95,  line  4,  at end insert—

‘113 (1)
The Representation of the People Act 1985 is amended as follows—

      (2)
In section 1(5) (extension of the parlimentary franchise), for “18” substitute

“16”,

      (3)
In section 3(8)(a) (extension of the franchise for European Parliamentary

elections), for “18” substitute “16”.’.

Schedule Agreed to.

Schedule 2 Agreed to.

S.C.B. Standing Committee Proceedings: 22nd November 2005
154

Electoral Administration Bill, continued

Clauses 67 and 68 Agreed to.

Mr David Heath

Dr John Pugh

Withdrawn  1

Clause  69,  page  68,  line  22,  at end insert—

‘( )
section 13;

( )
section 14;’.

Mr David Heath

Dr John Pugh

Not called  2

Clause  69,  page  68,  line  37,  leave out subsection (5).

Clause Agreed to.

Mr David Heath

Dr John Pugh

Not called  12

Clause  70,  page  69,  line  6,  leave out paragraph (b).

Clause Agreed to.

Clause 71 Agreed to.

New ClauseS

Content of election address

Mr David Heath

Dr John Pugh

Withdrawn  NC1

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
Section 91 of the 1983 Act (parliamentary election rules) is amended as

follows.

(2)
After subsection 1(b) insert—

“( )
If, and only if, the universal service provider considers any

matter in that communication not properly to consitute ‘matter

related to the election only’ in paragraph 1(a), then the question

as to whether it is included must be referred to the Electoral

Commission for determination.

S.C.B. Standing Committee Proceedings: 22nd November 2005
155

Electoral Administration Bill, continued

( )
The universal service provider may not by any other means

specify what matter can be included in a communication under

this section.”.’.

Minimum age of voting

Ms Diana R. Johnson

Andrew Mackinlay

Not called  NC2

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
In section 1 of the 1983 Act (parliamentary electors), for subsection (d)

substitute—

“(d) is of voting age (that is, 16 years or over)”.

(2)
In section 2 of the 1983 Act (local government electors), for subsection (d)

substitute—

“(d) is of voting age (that is, 16 years or over)”.

(3)
In paragraph 6(5) of Schedule 4 of the Representation of the People Act 2000

(c.2), for “18” substitute “16”.’.

Absent and overseas voters

Mr Andrew Turner

Withdrawn  NC3

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
The Secretary of State shall, within 12 months of the enactment of this Act lay

regulations—

(a)
providing that overseas voters’ ballot papers may be delivered to a British

diplomatic representative and if so delivered before the close of the poll

shall be counted there in secure conditions and the result transmitted by

electronic means to the returning officer or officers in any such polls;

(b)
providing that absent voters’ ballot papers may on any weekday after

their distribution by post be left at a place designated by the returning

officer at any time designated in this regulation and kept in secure

conditions until the close of the poll when they shall be counted with

other ballot papers; and

(c)
providing that a returning officer or officers shall adopt a common date

on which absent voters’ ballot papers shall be posted.

(2)
Regulations made under this section shall be laid in draft before Parliament and

approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament before being made.’.

S.C.B. Standing Committee Proceedings: 22nd November 2005
156

Electoral Administration Bill, continued

Extra provision for collection of postal votes

Mr Oliver Heald

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Mr Henry Bellingham

Mr David Burrows

Withdrawn  NC4

To move the following Clause:—

‘There shall be available in each constituency until, and including, polling day, a

ballot box at which postal votes may be cast in person.’.

Referendum campaign funding

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

Mr Henry Bellingham

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Withdrawn  nc5

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
Section 125 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41)

is amended as follows.

(2)
In section 125 (restriction on publication etc. of promotional material by central

and local government etc.), for paragraph (4)(b), substitute—

“(b)
‘the relevant period’, in relation to a referendum, means the

period commencing with the beginning of the referendum

campaign and ending with the date of the poll.”.’.

Challenging election results

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

Mr Henry Bellingham

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Withdrawn  nc6

To move the following Clause:—

‘The ongoing conduct of a police investigation into an election shall not prevent

such election result being capable of being challenged by way of an election

petition.’.

Bill, as amended, to be reported.