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Select Committee · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee

The Elections Bill

Status: Closed Opened: 20 Jul 2021 Closed: 16 Jun 2022 27 recommendations 23 conclusions 1 report

The Committee has launched an inquiry to examine all aspects of the Elections Bill.

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill HC 597 13 Dec 2021 50 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
23 Recommendation Fifth Report - The Elections Bill Accepted in Part

We welcome the Government’s move to update electoral law to widen the requirement for anyone...

We welcome the Government’s move to update electoral law to widen the requirement for anyone and everybody who may have a disability or a need for support in casting their vote. We also take on board the concerns expressed by the Royal National Institute for the Blind and Sense about … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agreed that the Electoral Commission will produce guidance for Returning Officers on supporting disabled voters, developed with an expert group including RNIB, but indicated that this support would be in guidance rather than codified in legislation or through minimum equipment standards.
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24 Recommendation Fifth Report - The Elections Bill Accepted in Part

There will inevitably be cost implications associated with widening the support for people with disabilities.

There will inevitably be cost implications associated with widening the support for people with disabilities. The Government should set out how much it expects new equipment to cost and indicate what financial support will be made available to local authorities to meet the new requirements. (Paragraph 110) 68 The Elections … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the costs associated with supporting disabled voters and commits to meeting these new burdens through funding, but does not provide specific cost estimates or detailed financial support mechanisms for local authorities as requested.
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Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
14 Sep 2021 Chloe Smith · Cabinet Office View ↗
7 Sep 2021 Angela Kitching · Age UK, Dr Jessica Garland · Electoral Reform Society, Dr Sam Power · School of Law, Politics and Sociology, University of Sussex, Helen Mountfield QC · Matrix Chambers, Louise Edwards · Electoral Commission, Pete O’Doherty · City of London Police, Peter Stanyon · Association of Electoral Administrators, Professor Justin Fisher · Brunel University London, Professor Toby James · University of East Anglia (UEA), The Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL · Committee on Standards in Public Life View ↗

Who gave evidence

11 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Angela Kitching · Head of External Affairs Age UK 1
Chloe Smith · Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolu… Cabinet Office 1
Dr Jessica Garland · Director of Policy and Research Electoral Reform Society 1
Dr Sam Power · Senior Lecturer in Corruption Analysis School of Law, Politics and Sociology, University of Sussex 1
Helen Mountfield QC · Barrister Matrix Chambers 1
Louise Edwards · Director of Regulation Electoral Commission 1
Pete O’Doherty · Assistant Commissioner City of London Police 1
Peter Stanyon · Chief Executive Association of Electoral Administrators 1
Professor Justin Fisher · Professor of Political Science and Director of Br… Brunel University London 1
Professor Toby James · Professor of Politics and Public Policy University of East Anglia (UEA) 1
The Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL · Chair Committee on Standards in Public Life 1

Correspondence

9 letters
DateDirectionTitle
27 Apr 2022 From cttee Letter to Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing …
25 Apr 2022 To cttee Letter from Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housin…
20 Apr 2022 From cttee Letter to Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing …
1 Mar 2022 To cttee Letter from Matt Stringer, Chief Executive Officer, Royal National Institute of…
11 Jan 2022 To cttee Letter from Tom Brake, Director, Unlock Democracy et al on the Elections Bill r…
22 Oct 2021 From cttee Letter to Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State, Department for Levelling …
21 Oct 2021 To cttee Letter from Kemi Badenoch MP, Joint Minister of State for Equalities and Levell…
14 Sep 2021 To cttee Letter from Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State for the Constitution and Devoluti…
7 Sep 2021 From cttee Letter to Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolution…