Written questions by Ward.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the cost of procuring (a) audio and (b) tactile voting solutions at every polling station to guarantee blind and partially sighted people a secret and independent vote.

The Government is committed to ensuring eligible disabled electors are supported in being able to register and vote in elections.The current law requires Returning Officers to take account of what electors want in terms of support and the Electoral Commission gives guidance on how to do this. The Tactile Voting Device, introduced in 2001, has proven effective for some voters with sight loss but we are aware that other options, such as magnifiers, digital reading applications and lighting aids, are also used to support individual elector’s preferences. The aim of the legislation is to support individuals and there is no one-size-fits all solution to achieve that.To support the changes brought in by the Elections Act 2022, money was made available to local authorities through new burdens funding and to Returning Officers where polls are funded directly by central government.

Communities and Local Government, what proportion of funding from the most recent round of the Community Ownership Fund was allocated to bids from Scotland.

In Round 4 Window, this government awarded £36.2 million to 85 projects across the UK, with £5 million allocated to 11 projects in Scotland.The full list of successful projects can be found on GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of utilising (a) High Commissions and (b) Consulates to facilitate British Overseas Voters ability to vote.

No such assessment has been made at this time. We are focused at present on delivering on our manifesto commitments to strengthen our democracy and encourage participation – including by giving 16- and 17- year olds the right to vote in all elections.

Communities and Local Government, whether the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will continue after March 2025.

The Government is committed to delivering economic growth across the country and is considering how to best fund long-term local funding in line with wider fiscal and economic priorities.Post-March 2025 funding is a decision for the Budget.