Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
HC 597
Published 13 December 2021
Government response
Fourth Special Report - The Elections Bill: Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report · published 10 Feb 2022
Recommendations & Conclusions
9
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Para 33
The Committee further notes the Government’s decision to amend the scope of the Bill by...
Conclusion
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, …
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Government Response 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.
10
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Para 37
Given the lack of pre-legislative consultation and scrutiny on this constitutionally important Bill and the...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response 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.
11
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Para 38
We recommend that the Government amend the Bill to introduce a requirement that, within five...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response 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.
14
Recommendation
Not Addressed
The Government should present the draft secondary legislation as early as possible, as committed to...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response 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.
17
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Para 97
The Government presented to the Committee a case that there is underreporting of personation at...
Conclusion
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 …
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Government Response 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.
18
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Para 98
There have been concerns raised that introducing a voter ID requirement will negatively impact voter...
Conclusion
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% …
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Government Response 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.
26
Conclusion
Not Addressed
We agree with the Government that it is sensible to limit the number of proxy...
Conclusion
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 …
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Government Response 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.
27
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Para 124
The Committee welcomes the removal of the 15-year limit on overseas electors participating in UK...
Conclusion
The Committee welcomes the removal of the 15-year limit on overseas electors participating in UK parliamentary elections.
Government Response 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.
29
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Para 148
The Committee notes widespread concerns presented in written and oral evidence to this Committee that...
Conclusion
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 …
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Government Response 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.
47
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Para 215
We note the Government’s insistence that it is not able to incorporate a number of...
Conclusion
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 …
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Government Response 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.
50
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Regardless of the benefits or disadvantages of the changes made by the Bill to the...
Conclusion
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 …
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Government Response 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.