We cannot allow the Northern Ireland electorate to become disillusioned with the political process

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Lords Leader Lord Williams of Mostyn said the bill, to impose tougher rules for voters, would help combat disillusionment in the province's political process.

He said: "Since the Belfast Agreement, people have seen more than ever that peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland must lie with the political process, therefore we cannot allow the Northern Ireland electorate to become disillusioned with the political process, because they may feel that the elections are not fair.

"If there is a high level of electoral abuse or even if it is only that people fear that there is such a high level then the democratic process in Northern Ireland will be under threat."

'Exploiting the system'

Tory peer Lord Glentoran said electoral fraud "in the form of the vote early, vote often, tradition" and problems of personation had been "an endemic part of political life in Northern Ireland".

"I believe that parties representing the republican tradition have been more adept at exploiting the system to their own electoral advantages than others, certainly in recent years, although it is true that in the past unionists were not immune from this practice," he said.

Liberal Democrat Lord Shutt of Greetland said: "This is a sad bill because it has to be here and special for Northern Ireland."

The House passed the bill back to the Commons after an unopposed second reading.

It is expected that the new measures will be in place for the assembly elections of 2003.