Moved by
Lord Stunell
71: Clause 65, page 68, line 17, at end insert—
“(3A) Regulations must not be laid to bring Section 13 into force until—
(a) a period of two years has passed since this Act is passed;
(b) the Secretary of State has published guidance to Electoral Registration Officers on how to determine whether an applicant has been resident in the UK for electoral registration purposes; and
(c) the Secretary of State has laid before Parliament a report on—
(i) the documentary evidence that may be required to support an application to be an overseas elector;
(ii) the length of time that a person must have previously been in the UK in order to register as an overseas elector;
(iii) the security and timeliness of the delivery and return of ballots to overseas electors; and
(iv) such other matters pertaining to the registration of individuals as overseas electors as the Secretary of State considers relevant.”
Member’s explanatory statement
This amendment delays section 13 (overseas electors) coming into force for a period of at least two years, and until the Secretary of State has laid a report before Parliament on how the system of registration of overseas electors is to operate. It also requires the Secretary of State to publish guidance to Electoral Registration Officers.