Political Parties and Elections Bill


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Nick Ainger: The hon. Lady has already said that there is reluctance among people of certain age groups either to engage in the political process or to believe that they should fill in the form. We all know that there is a certain amount of apathy.
Mrs. Laing: Precisely.
Nick Ainger: The introduction of the individual identifier means that those people, whom we want to encourage to participate in the political process, have denied themselves that. I accept that point.
The Chairman: Order. Interventions should be short.
Nick Ainger: We must have systems that encourage people who are not registering but who were registering before, as in Northern Ireland at the moment. That is the point.
Mrs. Laing: The hon. Gentleman is arguing beautifully against himself. He used the important word that is the elephant in the room—apathy.
It being One o’clock, The Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
Adjourned till this day at half-past Four o’clock.
 
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