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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2012, Official Report, column 444W, on constituencies, what comparative assessment he has made of the accuracy of the (a) electoral register and (b) census.

Greg Clark

Using population figures derived from census data would not provide a better basis for a review of constituency boundaries than using the electoral register. The electoral register is updated annually, whereas the census takes place every ten years; in addition, census figures will include persons who are not eligible to register to vote, for example on grounds of citizenship or age.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2013, Official Report, column 392W, on the Electoral Register if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidelines for the issuing of fixed penalty notices for non-registration.

Greg Clark

Guidance from the Electoral Commission on the use of civil penalties for failure to respond to a notice of requirement to register was published in September 2013.

I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, with reference to the Answer of 3 September 2012, Official Report, columns 93-4W, on electoral register: fraud, what assessment he has made of the reasons there have been no successful prosecutions for postal vote fraud since 2011.

Greg Clark

The Government has made no such assessment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2014, Official Report, column 189W, on the electoral register: Northern Ireland, if he will discuss the lessons from the registration for schools programme in Northern Ireland with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Greg Clark

I have discussed the Northern Ireland schools initiative with the Minister of State for Northern Ireland.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2014, Official Report, column 386W, on the Electoral Register, what is the (a) earliest and (b) latest age a person is allocated their National Insurance number; and what the earliest date is that an attainer can be registered to vote.

Greg Clark

National Insurance numbers are sent automatically when individuals reach the age of 15 years and 9 months. There is no upper age limit to apply for a National Insurance number.

The law provides that an attainer will be included on the register if they will reach the age of 18 before the end of a 12-month period starting from the next 1 December after the application is made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2014, Official Report, column 510W, on the electoral register: young people, how the £4.2 million funding to maximise the rate of voter registration ahead of the transition to individual electoral registration has been spent; and what measures are in place to monitor the effectiveness of this spending.

Greg Clark

Funding has been provided to all 363 local authorities and valuation joint boards in Great Britain, and five national organisations, to support the costs of activities for maximising registration as part of the transition to individual electoral registration.

Guidance has been made available to support them in evaluating the success of activity delivered through this funding. Government officials will continue to work closely with funding recipients to monitor and measure the outcomes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2014, Official Report, columns 509-10W, on the Electoral Register, with which national organisations his Department is working to encourage people to register to vote.

Greg Clark

Five national organisations have received funding as part of the Government’s measures to maximise voter registration.

The Government is working with a number of other groups such as the British Youth Council and Operation Black Vote.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2013, Official Report, column 443W, on electoral register, what progress he has made with private sector credit reference agencies on ensuring the completeness and accuracy of the electoral register.

Greg Clark

The Government is using public data to confirm the vast majority of electors on the register when the transition to individual electoral registration takes place this year.

There are no plans to use private sector credit reference agency data.