Recommendations & Conclusions
11 items
9
Conclusion
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
The Committee further notes the Government’s decision to amend the scope of the Bill by including additional measures on the voting system for all Police and Crime Commissioner, Combined Authority Mayoral and London Mayoral elections after the Bill was introduced, had its Second Reading and was part-way through The Elections …
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The Committee further notes the Government’s decision to amend the scope of the Bill by including additional measures on the voting system for all Police and Crime Commissioner, Combined Authority Mayoral and London Mayoral elections after the Bill was introduced, had its Second Reading and was part-way through The Elections Bill 65 Committee stage. As a result, the House was denied an important opportunity to debate the purpose and implications of the changes early on in its legislative process.
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Government response AI summary
The Government responded with a general denial of insufficient pre-legislative consultation and scrutiny, which did not directly address the committee's specific concern about new measures being added to the Bill mid-way through its parliamentary process.
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10
Recommendation
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
Given the lack of pre-legislative consultation and scrutiny on this constitutionally important Bill and the significant change in scope of the Bill after its introduction and Second Reading, the Government should include a statutory commitment to post- legislative scrutiny of the Bill on the face of the Bill.
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Given the lack of pre-legislative consultation and scrutiny on this constitutionally important Bill and the significant change in scope of the Bill after its introduction and Second Reading, the Government should include a statutory commitment to post- legislative scrutiny of the Bill on the face of the Bill.
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Government response AI summary
The government refutes claims of insufficient prior consultation and highlights policy statements already published on voter ID, stating they will share further implementation planning information, but does not address the recommendation for a statutory commitment to post-legislative scrutiny.
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11
Recommendation
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
We recommend that the Government amend the Bill to introduce a requirement that, within five years of the entry into force of the Act, a committee comprising a majority of Members of the House of Commons is established to review the operation of the Act and, if appropriate in consequence …
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We recommend that the Government amend the Bill to introduce a requirement that, within five years of the entry into force of the Act, a committee comprising a majority of Members of the House of Commons is established to review the operation of the Act and, if appropriate in consequence of its findings, make recommendations to the Government and to the House for reform (including making arrangements for the publication of the committee’s findings and recommendations, if any).
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Government response AI summary
The government's response discusses past consultations and recent policy statements on voter identification and other changes but does not address the specific recommendation to amend the Bill to establish a new committee for post-legislative review of the Act.
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14
Recommendation
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
The Government should present the draft secondary legislation as early as possible, as committed to by then responsible Minister, Chloe Smith MP, to enable due consideration by both Houses and stakeholders of the proposed secondary legislation that will provide further detail on the purpose and implementation of the Bill prior …
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The Government should present the draft secondary legislation as early as possible, as committed to by then responsible Minister, Chloe Smith MP, to enable due consideration by both Houses and stakeholders of the proposed secondary legislation that will provide further detail on the purpose and implementation of the Bill prior to that legislation being laid or made. (Paragraph 49) Voter ID requirement
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Government response AI summary
The government refutes claims of insufficient prior consultation and highlights policy statements already published on voter ID, stating they will share further implementation planning information in due course, but does not commit to presenting draft secondary legislation early.
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17
Conclusion
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
The Government presented to the Committee a case that there is underreporting of personation at UK elections. While the Government refused to be drawn on how extensive it believes the underreporting has been, it has implied that it is at a significant enough level to justify introducing a compulsory voter …
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The Government presented to the Committee a case that there is underreporting of personation at UK elections. While the Government refused to be drawn on how extensive it believes the underreporting has been, it has implied that it is at a significant enough level to justify introducing a compulsory voter ID requirement. What is clear is that there is currently no evidence of widespread personation at UK elections, though we note the former responsible Minister’s observation that cases of electoral fraud are likely underreported, so that nobody can be sure that the reported number of cases accurately reflects the true scale of fraud being carried out. It is surprising and concerning that the Government has considered there to be a significant issue with the UK’s elections system and has not endeavoured to seek out and present substantial evidence of those concerns. The research done to provide evidence to support this policy proposal has simply not been good enough. Given the Government’s conviction on this issue, Ministers should have presented a more robust evidence base.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response focuses on its Public Sector Equality Duty, the accessibility of voter ID, and the provision of free Voter Cards, completely failing to address the Committee's conclusion regarding the lack of a robust evidence base for widespread personation.
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18
Conclusion
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
There have been concerns raised that introducing a voter ID requirement will negatively impact voter turnout. The evidence from what happened in Northern Ireland in 2003 following the move to a photographic ID suggests that a reduction of around 2.3% is possible. We cannot be sure whether this is a …
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There have been concerns raised that introducing a voter ID requirement will negatively impact voter turnout. The evidence from what happened in Northern Ireland in 2003 following the move to a photographic ID suggests that a reduction of around 2.3% is possible. We cannot be sure whether this is a one-off drop or one that will continue, as continued monitoring of this issue did not take place in Northern Ireland. What is evident is that some reduction in voter turnout is possible as a result of implementing a voter ID requirement and that this may be the cost of using these measures to guard against the potential that personation could take place under the old system.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response emphasizes its Public Sector Equality Duty, the accessibility of voter ID provisions, and the availability of free Voter Cards, but does not directly address the Committee's conclusion that a reduction in voter turnout is possible.
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26
Conclusion
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
We agree with the Government that it is sensible to limit the number of proxy votes that can be exercised by individuals to two for domestic electors, and four for overseas electors. (Paragraph 118) Overseas electors and changes to the franchise for foreign nationals
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We agree with the Government that it is sensible to limit the number of proxy votes that can be exercised by individuals to two for domestic electors, and four for overseas electors. (Paragraph 118) Overseas electors and changes to the franchise for foreign nationals
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Government response AI summary
The government's response discusses postal voting measures and their implementation, including a three-year limit on applications, without directly addressing the committee's agreement on proxy vote limits for domestic and overseas electors.
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27
Conclusion
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
The Committee welcomes the removal of the 15-year limit on overseas electors participating in UK parliamentary elections.
Government response AI summary
The government's response details its rationale for changes to EU citizens' voting and candidacy rights and its stance against residency-based voting, without addressing the committee's welcome for the removal of the 15-year limit on overseas electors.
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29
Conclusion
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
The Committee notes widespread concerns presented in written and oral evidence to this Committee that there was no formal or public consultation on these proposals and that there is a lack of supporting evidence to demonstrate that the proposed measures are both necessary and proportionate.
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The Committee notes widespread concerns presented in written and oral evidence to this Committee that there was no formal or public consultation on these proposals and that there is a lack of supporting evidence to demonstrate that the proposed measures are both necessary and proportionate.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response provides its rationale for changes to EU citizens' voting and candidacy rights but does not address the committee's noted concerns about the lack of formal consultation or supporting evidence for these proposals.
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47
Conclusion
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
We note the Government’s insistence that it is not able to incorporate a number of measures in the Bill now that it has been introduced. However, the Government has changed the scope of the Bill after introduction by amending the Bill at Committee stage to bring about a change in …
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We note the Government’s insistence that it is not able to incorporate a number of measures in the Bill now that it has been introduced. However, the Government has changed the scope of the Bill after introduction by amending the Bill at Committee stage to bring about a change in voting system for certain elections (as detailed in section 11 below). Furthermore, the Committee notes that the Government still The Elections Bill 71 has an opportunity to put forward and/or support amendments that implement the recommendations identified by the CSPL as the Bill progresses through its remaining stages in both Houses.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response addresses a recommendation from an unspecified paragraph (193) regarding Electoral Commission accountability and its own reform proposals, entirely failing to engage with the Committee's conclusion about the government's ability to amend the Bill.
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50
Conclusion
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Not Addressed
Regardless of the benefits or disadvantages of the changes made by the Bill to the electoral system for those offices, the manner in which the proposed legislative change was brought about is unsatisfactory. Making changes such as this after the Bill has been introduced and debated at Second Reading is …
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Regardless of the benefits or disadvantages of the changes made by the Bill to the electoral system for those offices, the manner in which the proposed legislative change was brought about is unsatisfactory. Making changes such as this after the Bill has been introduced and debated at Second Reading is disrespectful to the House. (Paragraph 232) 72 The Elections Bill
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Government response AI summary
The government explicitly disagrees with a different recommendation (paragraph 193) and defends its proposals for reforming the accountability of the Electoral Commission, failing to address the committee's criticism of the legislative process for introducing changes after Second Reading.
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