Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2008

My Lords, I start by thanking noble Lords for the warm greetings I have received. They will forgive me if I feel very slightly apprehensive. I am very pleased that everybody has welcomed these two instruments. Having studied the instruments intensely over the past few days, we clearly have in Northern Ireland an excellent system on which these instruments seek to consolidate and build. The noble Lords, Lord Glentoran, Lord Smith, Lord Bew and Lord Laird, all touched on the issue of photo ID being out of date. The concept in the regulations is that the presiding officer should decide on the fitness for purpose of what is presented. The cards that have been selected as photo ID have sufficient security in them for the presiding officer to know that their original issue was to a standard acceptable for purpose, the out-of-datedness, or not, and whether, be they male or female, the individuals do not look like their photograph. If they do not bear a likeness to their photograph, it will not be fit for purpose and the presiding officer will, quite properly, turn them away.