Electoral Administration Bill

Perhaps I may make a short contribution in relation to the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours. For many years I represented the constituency of North Cornwall, which now has more second homes than council houses. I can tell the noble Lord and the Committee that the local network is extraordinarily effective in knowing who lives where, who is resident at any time and who, in the tight circumstances of a narrow majority, might well be seeking to use their vote in London, Birmingham or even in Pendle, as well as in North Cornwall. At one election in Cornwall I had a majority of nine votes after six recounts. Members of the Committee will recognise that this matter could be of considerable interest, not least to the eventual winner. So there would be circumstances where a national record could be of considerable interest. It might be      difficult—as, I suspect, the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, is about to tell me—to challenge that on polling day; but if there was a narrow majority, it would be possible subsequently to check whether a constituent in one constituency had also exercised their vote in another constituency in a parliamentary election. As my noble friend Lord Greaves said, it is perfectly proper to do that if there are two local elections on the same day. [The Sitting was suspended for a Division in the House from 5.44 pm to 5.59 pm.]