Electoral Administration Bill

I accept the point, but my advice suggests that it is a question of any pilot or election. The breadth of it could lead at least to uncertainty, which I am sure the noble Baroness does not seek to achieve. Rather let me say simply that if you rule something out altogether, you lose the opportunity to carry out a test. I understand the Committee’s concern regarding all-postal pilots. Although I did not participate in the earlier debates, I sense that a frisson passes over the Committee every time we go anywhere near the subject. I am fully alive to the issue, but there may be occasions when different systems could be of value. That takes me to the next amendment in the group, on electronic voting. Again, I take the point rightly made by the noble Baroness that online fraud is a very real concern and has to be dealt with. But we must also recognise the value of making voting easier and more accessible. Research released by the Electoral Commission in 2003 showed that there is a significant demand for electronic voting and that it could help to stem the decline in turnout at elections. Some 55 per cent of English adults said that being offered electronic voting in some form would encourage them to vote at the next local election. Moreover, it comes as no surprise that the youngest demographic group, the 18 to 24 year-olds, are the most keen to try the new methods. Three-quarters of those responding said that e-voting would encourage them to participate. Local authorities have also demonstrated an interest in using electronic voting as an option in local elections and a number of pilots have been conducted. They have provided important lessons to help establish the basis on which further pilots can be delivered in future. I take the point made by the noble Baroness about experimenting in different ways and being clear that we do so appropriately. However, it is right and proper to consider technology as an opportunity as well as something that we need to ensure is safe and fraud-free, particularly in light of the fact that the generations following us use technology in the way I used to operate my cassette player when I was a youngster. It is something they are familiar with and expect to be able to use. So we need to recognise two things: the world changes and new technology provides real advantages; and, when research suggests clearly that people—particularly but not exclusively the young—value the opportunity to be able to consider new ways of voting, the Government are beholden to test different methods so that we can address issues of safety and security.