Electoral Administration Bill

Perhaps I may say a few words on the amendments tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham. They address only the registration problem. I support them, but I do not think these are either/or amendments. We need to put a duty on the Ministry of Defence and we need to be able to change things later. My concerns about the use of delegated powers here are that, first, we have discussed elsewhere how to stop delegated powers being used when policy can be introduced. Secondly, we have seen an extraordinary amount of delay in this area. The problem was known before the general election, during it and subsequently, and yet we still do not have proposals. My worry is that considering delegated powers to be the answer would mean that they just sit there for years and nothing will happen. Another election will be held and we will say, ““Oh, isn’t it terrible? The servicemen did not get their vote again””. I do not think that that is the full answer. I want to see something in the Bill which puts a duty on the employer, which in this case is the Ministry of Defence.