Justice Secretary gives evidence on draft Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Bill
20 November 2013
The Committee will question Mr Grayling and Ministry of Justice official Mark Sweeney on the Government’s position on prisoner voting and whether it will abide by the decision of the European Court of Human Rights on the issue. They will also ask the Lord Chancellor whether he agrees with the Attorney General’s evidence to the Committee that it is the longstanding policy of the UK to abide by its international legal obligations.
- Parliament TV: Draft Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Bill
- Joint Select Committee: Draft Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Bill
Witnesses
Wednesday 20th November, Committee Room 8, Palace of Westminster
9.30am:
- Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor
- Mark Sweeney, Director, Ministry of Justice
The session will also cover the draft Bill’s alternative options to allow prisoners serving less than six months, or four years, to vote and whether provisions of this type would satisfy the European Court that they were not ‘blanket bans’.
The session will also cover the risk of prisoners seeking and being awarded financial compensation if they continue to be denied the right to vote, and whether the Government would refuse to pay this compensation.