Reacting to ongoing problems of percieved electoral fraud in the province, this government bill provides the chief electoral officer for Northern Ireland with additional functions to address the problem of electoral fraud there.

The seven-cluause bill gives effect to the proposals in the white paper, Combating Electoral Fraud in Northern Ireland (Cm 5080), which was published in March 2001.

Specific measures include:

- requiring a canvass form and an application for voter registration to be signed by, and to include the date of birth of, each of the persons to whom the form or application relates.

- Introducing an electoral identity card for those people entitled to vote but who might not otherwise have satisfactory proof of identity.

- The presiding officer at a polling station gets the power to ask the date of birth of an elector applying for a ballot paper.

House of Commons

First reading: June 28 2001 ((HC Bill 6))

Second reading: July 10 2001

Committee (Standing Committee D)

• 1st day: October 16 2001 (am)
• 2nd day: October 16 2001 (pm)
• 3rd sitting: October 18 2001 (am)
• 4th day: October 18 2001 (pm)

The bill as amended in Committee: Bill 33

Remaining stages: October 31 2001

House of Lords

First reading: November 1 2001 (HL Bill 18)

Second reading: January 8 2002

Committee: February 4 2002

Report: February 25 2002 The Bill as amended - (HL Bill 56)

Third reading: March 4 2002

House of Commons

Consideration of Lords amendments: April 15 2002

Royal Assent: May 1 2002