Decision details

Standing Order 11.21:

Time must be made available in each Assembly year for debates on the following items of business:

 

(iv) motions proposed by any Member who is not a member of the government

The item started at 15.12

 

Voting on the motion under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NNDM5683 Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes:

a) Bite the Ballot's national voter registration day on 5 February and the nationwide week of action between 2 and 8 February;

b) 'The quality of the 2014 electoral registers in Great Britain' report by the Electoral Commission, which found that 49% of 16-17 year olds are not registered to vote;

c) the 'Analysis of the confirmation live run in England and Wales' Electoral Commission progress report, which found that the individual electoral registration match-rate for 16 to 17 year olds has declined from 86% to 52%; and

d) the success of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland's 'Schools Initiative' in adding 57,000 young people (approximately 50% of the age group) to the register.

2. Regrets that turnout in Assembly elections has been decreasing and supports action to encourage active, engaged participation of young people in democracy.

3. Calls for steps to empower electoral registration officers to improve data-sharing, increase the number of people registered from under-represented groups - especially young and student electors - and ensure greater participation of young people.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
15	0	32	47

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

 

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on the UK Government to agree that the carrying forward of registered persons included in the previous register, who had not registered individually, should apply to the 2016 register as it did for 2015.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
38	0	10	48

Amendment 1 was agreed.

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

 

NNDM5683 Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes:

a) Bite the Ballot's national voter registration day on 5 February and the nationwide week of action between 2 and 8 February;

b) 'The quality of the 2014 electoral registers in Great Britain' report by the Electoral Commission, which found that 49% of 16-17 year olds are not registered to vote;

c) the 'Analysis of the confirmation live run in England and Wales' Electoral Commission progress report, which found that the individual electoral registration match-rate for 16 to 17 year olds has declined from 86% to 52%; and

d) the success of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland's 'Schools Initiative' in adding 57,000 young people (approximately 50% of the age group) to the register.

2. Regrets that turnout in Assembly elections has been decreasing and supports action to encourage active, engaged participation of young people in democracy.

3. Calls for steps to empower electoral registration officers to improve data-sharing, increase the number of people registered from under-represented groups - especially young and student electors - and ensure greater participation of young people.

 

4. Calls on the UK Government to agree that the carrying forward of registered persons included in the previous register, who had not registered individually, should apply to the 2016 register as it did for 2015.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
38	0	9	47

The motion as amended was agreed.