Electoral Administration Bill

As we are going to look at the question of children, I shall take up the hon. Gentleman’s suggestion that we look at that as well. If I may, I shall deal quickly and in detail with the question of the effect of the amendments and why we suggest that they should not be pressed. Amendments Nos. 15, 2 and 3 would vary the provisions of anonymous registration. As I have said, those provisions will set up a scheme through which a person may register to vote without their name and address appearing on the electoral register. Anonymous registration is designed to protect vulnerable people in society, whose safety might be at risk if their address were made public. It is also designed to be limited to those who genuinely need it; there will be no question of simply opting out. In Australia and New Zealand, where such systems operate, about 0.15 per cent. of the electorate avail themselves of such provisions. Amendment No. 15 would set out in the Bill the evidence required from a person wishing to register anonymously. While we agree that evidence must be required, and that a simple desire for privacy must not be grounds for anonymity, we cannot accept the amendment because, in our view, the appropriate place for a list of evidence is in regulations made by affirmative order. That allows for parliamentary scrutiny and a degree of flexibility. Setting out a definitive list of evidence in the Bill would risk excluding groups of people that perhaps ought properly to be covered. We have consulted and gained the support of groups, including Victim Support, and the Network for Surviving Stalking and Refuge. We will continue to consult them as we implement these measures, and indeed on the question of children, on which we will also consult the hon. Member for Huntingdon. From consultation so far, we envisage that the evidence needed to show a threat to safety will include injunctions and court orders, which the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) has already mentioned, as well as restraining orders, participation in a witness protection scheme or a letter from a police officer confirming a specific threat. Amendment No. 2 would require a registration officer to register a person in the usual way if their anonymous registration application failed. For the reasons I gave to the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome, that would reverse our policy on failed applications for anonymous registration. That is why we do not want to accept that amendment. It would, in effect, work against the purpose of anonymous registration. Another reason for rejecting the amendment is that applying for anonymous registration will be voluntary. It will not be part of the annual canvass; instead, it will be more akin to rolling registration. As with rolling registration, therefore, a person should not be entered on the electoral register unless they have expressly applied to be so. There is already a process for ensuring that people register to vote—the annual canvass. If a person’s application for anonymous registration fails, they will be sent an annual canvass form in the normal way in due course. Through that existing process—not through a change of policy that could discourage vulnerable people from applying to be franchised safely—we should seek to ensure that all eligible people are registered. Amendment No. 3 would mean that when a person’s anonymous registration was terminated, that person would have an ordinary entry on the register if they were to make a rolling registration application. We believe that it is unnecessary. Although it is not explicitly stated, a person retains the ability to register through rolling registration when their anonymous entry expires. Specific provision as it would be inserted by the amendment is therefore not required. For those reasons, I ask hon. Members not to press their amendments. We will return to these issues in due course.