Member News
The referendum on the alternative voting system to be held next May will cost £9.3m, MPs have been told.
Gary Streeter (Con, SW Devon), answering questions in the Commons yesterday on behalf of the Speaker's committee on the electoral commission, revealed the sum the commission expects to spend "in connection with the referendum".
He said the deputy prime minister has had discussions with the commission's chair and chief executive on its role in the first UK-wide plebiscite since 1975.
However, it has not held discussions with the government about the funding implications of other proposals for electoral reform.
Helen Goodman (Lab, Bishop Aukland) called on the government to "ring-fence the commission so that its budget will not be cut at this difficult time".
Streeter said he is sure parliament will approve the extra funds needed for the referendum.
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has previously said that holding the AV vote on the same day as elections to English local councils and the national assemblies will save £17m.
Politicians in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have condemned Clegg's decision.
Philip Hollobone (Con, Kettering) asked for the commission's estimate of the number of unregistered voters in the United Kingdom and overseas.
Streeter said there are estimated to be 3.5 million unregistered voters in England and Wales.
"As several million British people live overseas and only about 15,000 are on our voting register, there is clearly a huge job to be done in relation to overseas voters," he told MPs.
Greg Hands (Con, Chelsea and Fulham) said thousands of Polish nationals in his constituency voted in Polish national elections at polling stations in locations such as a Polish cultural centre.
He suggested the government do the same for UK voters abroad.
Streeter said it is a good idea, but "decisions of that kind are ultimately a matter for government, and it will be for government to make any changes to the existing law."
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd