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New inquiry launched into electronic voting in the House of Commons

3 February 2025

The Procedure Committee has launched an inquiry into electronic voting in the House of Commons.

 

Cat Smith MP, Chair of the Procedure Committee, said:

 “Electronic voting is already in use in other legislatures in various forms – including in the House of Lords - and the new Parliament gives us the chance to investigate whether it’s time for the House of Commons to adapt its procedures.

There are several factors to consider before any major changes, such as the historical context for in-person divisions, the impact of the recent introduction of pass readers in the voting lobbies, and the robustness of our technological systems.

We look forward to hearing a broad range of views from colleagues and other interested parties.” 

Background

During the Covid-19 pandemic, due to social distancing requirements, Members were able to vote electronically in divisions in the House (then known as ‘remote voting’). This did not apply to all votes on all types of business, rather the Leader of the House would designate certain votes as being subject to remote voting in advance. These arrangements lapsed in 2021 alongside other pandemic-era procedures.

Several other legislatures around the world – including the House of Lords – currently operate some form of electronic voting arrangements, therefore providing different models that could be compared to those in the House of Commons which require a physical presence in a certain location for a valid vote to be cast.

The predecessor Committee previously inquired into this topic in Session 2019-21 in the context of proceedings during Covid-19. The previous incarnation of the Modernisation Committee also investigated this matter twice over the course of Session 1997-98.

Further information

Image: House of Commons