Ulster Unionist Peer, Lord Empey, has today raised the issue of the future of the beleaguered Northern Ireland Electoral Office at Question Time today in the House of Lords.

Lord Empey said:

“I recently warned that proposed changes to the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland must not endanger public confidence in the electoral process.

“Today I took the opportunity to question the Government with regard to their plans for the future of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.

“I asked the Cabinet Office Minister, Baroness Chisolm, if she was aware the EONI had, via its engagement program with schools, achieved the highest rates of registration of 18 year olds in the United Kingdom at 83% and if she was aware that a strike ballot was taking place among its staff in protest at proposed office closures?

“I also asked the Minister if she would prevail on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to leave this professional and independent body alone to get on with its work rather than risk its high registration targets for the sake of saving a few hundred thousand pounds of budget?

“The latter question was raised in the context of the government being asked to encourage more registration ahead of the European Referendum.

“In her response the Minister affirmed that she was aware of the strike ballot taking place which would be closing later this month and she undertook to bring these points to the attention of the Secretary of State.

“It makes no sense to target the EONI with funding cuts when it is achieving the highest rates of registration of young people anywhere in these islands. I see no merit in punishing the successful and risking the continuance of an independent, professional and impartial service which has universal support across the community.”