asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that paragraph 10 (3) of the Instructions to Presiding Officers issued in 1963 does not make it sufficiently clear to presiding officers that a ballot paper should not be stamped until a duly qualified elector presents himself to the presiding officer and demands his voting paper; and if he will take steps to have these instructions amended so as to make it quite clear that ballot papers shall not be stamped until the instructions contained in paragraph 10 (1) and (2) have been complied with.

In my opinion, paragraph 10 of the Instructions to Presiding Officers makes it reasonably clear that a ballot paper should be marked with the official mark immediately before it is handed to an elector. I will, however, consider amending the instructions, so as to remove any doubts about the position.