Electoral Administration Bill

I applaud the concern expressed by the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Djanogly) over consistency, as well as his support for registration officers, and the inclusion of children in his amendment, but I am worried that victims of domestic violence who are moving to a new place, and a new life, might be concerned as to whether their anonymity was adequately safeguarded. Madam Speaker, the police and local authorities at their new location should not be privy to their distressing past. The involvement of the police at their original home, for example, might have involved litigation that the person had fled that home to avoid. I am also worried, Madam Speaker, that, despite the location of such vulnerable people being kept strictly anonymous by the registration officer, if they should lose their right to appear on the register, that location could be revealed in a way that does not happen at the moment. There are many reasons why a person would want to stay on the electoral register. In my constituency of Hove and Portslade, for example, it is impossible to get a parking permit without being on the register. I am also worried about some of the wider issues involved. Article 8 of the European convention on human rights states that a person’s right to privacy should not be interfered with unless it"““is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.””" I cannot see how that relates to placing a vulnerable person’s name on a register that can be publicly viewed. Also, if I understand the proposal correctly, if a person failed to provide evidence involving the local authority or the police, their name could be revealed on the register that can be purchased. In other words, such people’s protection would be reduced rather than increased. Some of my hon. Friends might disagree with the present situation in which we do not have compulsory voting, but article 8 of the ECHR allows for that privacy to be maintained, and takes precedence over a rule that does not insist that a person should vote. I also fail to understand how it would be in the interest of these vulnerable people to force them to give written evidence in support of their claim for privacy. I hope that the hon. Member for Huntingdon will withdraw his amendment.