After section 9C of the Representation of the People Act 1983 insert—

“9DMaintenance of registers: duty to conduct canvass in Great Britain

(1)

Each registration officer in Great Britain must conduct an annual canvass in relation to the area for which the officer acts.

(2)

The purpose of the canvass is to ascertain—

(a)

the names and addresses of persons who are entitled to be registered in a register maintained by the officer but who are not registered;

(b)

those persons who are registered in such a register but who are not entitled to be registered.

(3)

The canvass is to be conducted in a manner to be set out in regulations.

(4)

The regulations may confer functions on the Electoral Commission (for example, the Commission may be required to design a canvass form).

(5)

A registration officer may make house to house inquiries for the purposes of the canvass, for example—

(a)

to obtain information before sending out a canvass form,

(b)

to supplement information provided on a canvass form, or

(c)

to obtain information where no canvass form is returned.

(6)

Nothing in this section applies in relation to—

(a)

the registration of persons in respect of residence in penal institutions (within the meaning of section 3) or mental hospitals (within the meaning of section 7) or other places at which persons to whom section 7A applies may be detained,

(b)

the registration of persons in pursuance of declarations of local connection, service declarations or overseas electors' declarations, or

(c)

the registration of persons with anonymous entries in the register.”