The Elections Bill
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Closed
Inquiry
The Committee has launched an inquiry to examine all aspects of the Elections Bill.
27
Recommendations
23
Conclusions
1
Report
2
Oral sessions
9
Letters
2
Events
Activity timeline 13 events
27 Apr
2022
2022
25 Apr
2022
2022
20 Apr
2022
2022
1 Mar
2022
2022
10 Feb
2022
2022
11 Jan
2022
2022
13 Dec
2021
2021
Report published
22 Oct
2021
2021
21 Oct
2021
2021
14 Sep
2021
2021
Oral evidence
14 Sep
2021
2021
7 Sep
2021
2021
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
14 Sep 2021
View on parliament.uk
Chloe Smith · Cabinet Office
7 Sep 2021
View on parliament.uk
The Elections Bill
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
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fifth Report - The Elections Bill | HC 597 | 13 Dec 2021 | 50 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
11 results
9
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
The Committee further notes the Government’s decision to amend the scope of the Bill by...
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
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
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Given the lack of pre-legislative consultation and scrutiny on this constitutionally important Bill and the...
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
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
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
We recommend that the Government amend the Bill to introduce a requirement that, within five...
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
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
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
The Government should present the draft secondary legislation as early as possible, as committed to...
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
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
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
The Government presented to the Committee a case that there is underreporting of personation at...
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
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
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
There have been concerns raised that introducing a voter ID requirement will negatively impact voter...
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
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
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
We agree with the Government that it is sensible to limit the number of proxy...
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
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
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
The Committee welcomes the removal of the 15-year limit on overseas electors participating in UK...
The Committee welcomes the removal of the 15-year limit on overseas electors participating in UK parliamentary elections.
Government Response
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
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
The Committee notes widespread concerns presented in written and oral evidence to this Committee that...
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
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
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
We note the Government’s insistence that it is not able to incorporate a number of...
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
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
Fifth Report - The Elections Bill
Regardless of the benefits or disadvantages of the changes made by the Bill to the...
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
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.
Correspondence 9 letters
27 Apr 2022
From committee
Letter to Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the Elections Bill, dated 26.4.22
Parliament page
25 Apr 2022
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations on the Elections Bill, dated 25.4.22
Parliament page
20 Apr 2022
From committee
Letter to Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Minister for Intergovernmental Relations on the Elections Bill, dated 12.4.22
Parliament page
1 Mar 2022
To committee
Letter from Matt Stringer, Chief Executive Officer, Royal National Institute of Blind People on the Elections Bill, dated 23.2.22
Parliament page
11 Jan 2022
To committee
Letter from Tom Brake, Director, Unlock Democracy et al on the Elections Bill report, dated 5.1.22
Parliament page
22 Oct 2021
From committee
Letter to Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the Elections Bill – follow up to the oral evidence session of 14th September, dated 23.9.21
Parliament page
21 Oct 2021
To committee
Letter from Kemi Badenoch MP, Joint Minister of State for Equalities and Levelling Up Communities on the Elections Bill - Follow up to the oral evidence of 14.9.21, dated 7.10.21
Parliament page
14 Sep 2021
To committee
Letter from Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolution on the Elections Bill: Impact Assessment and other matters, dated 8.9.21
Parliament page
7 Sep 2021
From committee
Letter to Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolution on Elections Bill impact assessment and other matters, dated 27.8.21
Parliament page