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109

 

House of Commons

 
 

Tuesday 11th November 2008

 

Public Bill Committee

 

New Amendments handed in are marked thus Parliamentary Star

 

Parliamentary Star - whiteAmendments which will comply with the required notice period at their next appearance

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill


 

Note

 

The Amendments have been arranged in accordance with the Order of the

 

Committee [4th November 2008].

 


 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

16

 

Clause  4,  page  3,  line  24,  at end insert ‘in accordance with Commissioner for

 

Public Appointments’ Code of Practice.’.

 


 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

15

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  35,  after ‘(d)’, insert ‘(i) and (ii)’.

 

Pete Wishart

 

112

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  39,  leave out ‘Four’.

 

Pete Wishart

 

113

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  40,  leave out from ‘(1)’ to ‘the’.

 

Pete Wishart

 

114

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  41,  after ‘party’, insert ‘shall’, and after ‘forward’, insert ‘a

 

person’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 11th November 2008                

110

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

Pete Wishart

 

115

 

Clause  5,  page  4,  line  6,  leave out ‘three of the’.

 

Pete Wishart

 

116

 

Clause  5,  page  4,  line  7,  leave out ‘three largest’ and insert ‘qualifying’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

105

 

Clause  5,  page  4,  line  8,  at end insert ‘and the registered heads of the three largest

 

nominating parties at that time shall be required to make such a nomination.’.

 

David Howarth

 

108

 

Clause  5,  page  4,  line  15,  at end insert—

 

‘(4A)    

If a nominating party as mentioned in subsection (3) fails to put forward two

 

persons to be considered for appointment as a nominated commissioner when

 

requested to do so, the next largest party at the time shall be treated for the

 

purpose of the particular appointment, and for the purposes of this subsection, as

 

one of the three largest nominating parties.’.

 

Pete Wishart

 

111

 

Clause  5,  page  4,  line  21,  at end insert—

 

‘(6A)    

A nominated Commissioner may not participate, deliberate or adjudicate in any

 

enforcement action or procedure involving, whether directly or otherwise, the

 

party whose registered leader put forward the Commissioner’s appointment.’.

 

Pete Wishart

 

117

 

Clause  5,  page  4,  line  22,  leave out subsection (7).

 

Pete Wishart

 

109

 

Page  3,  line  32,  leave out Clause 5.

 


 

Pete Wishart

 

110

 

Page  4,  line  39,  leave out Clause 6.

 


 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

79

 

Clause  1,  page  1,  line  7,  after ‘the’, insert ‘sole’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 11th November 2008                

111

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Fabian Hamilton

 

Mr Denis MacShane

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Nick Ainger

 

2

 

Clause  1,  page  1,  line  10,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘shall’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

81

 

Clause  1,  page  1,  line  13,  leave out ‘, or is sufficient’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

38

 

Clause  1,  page  1,  line  16,  at end add—

 

‘(4)    

In the 2000 Act section 13 (which makes provision about the promotion of the

 

electoral and democratic system by the Electoral Commission) is repealed.’.

 


 

Nick Ainger

 

130

 

Parliamentary Star    

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  5,  leave out second column and insert ‘A fine of £5,000 for

 

registered parties and £1,000 for an accounting unit of a registered political party.’.

 

Nick Ainger

 

131

 

Parliamentary Star    

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  8,  leave out second column and insert ‘A fine of £5,000 for

 

registered parties and £1,000 for an accounting unit of a registered political party.’.

 

Nick Ainger

 

132

 

Parliamentary Star    

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  11,  column  2,  leave out from beginning to end of line 18

 

and insert ‘A fine of £5,000 for registered parties and £1,000 for an accounting unit of a

 

registered political party.’.

 


 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

102

 

Schedule  1,  page  13,  line  15,  leave out sub-sub-paragraph (1)(d).

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

86

 

Schedule  1,  page  13,  line  23,  after ‘may’, insert ‘only’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 11th November 2008                

112

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

87

 

Schedule  1,  page  13,  line  24,  after ‘been’, insert ‘, within the 5 years immediately

 

prior to the date of the notice,’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

88

 

Schedule  1,  page  13,  line  26,  at end insert ‘and whom the Commission have

 

reasonable suspicion to believe has committed an offence under this Act.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

89

 

Schedule  1,  page  13,  line  26,  at end insert—

 

  ‘(2A)  

A disclosure notice must be served on the individual specified in paragraph (2)

 

by hand by a person specifically authorised by the Commission to effect the

 

service of such notices.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

90

 

Schedule  1,  page  13,  line  30,  leave out ‘any’ and insert ‘information or’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

91

 

Schedule  1,  page  13,  line  34,  leave out from ‘of’ to end and insert ‘investigating an

 

offence under this Act.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

92

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  2,  at end insert—

 

  ‘(3A)  

A person served with a disclosure notice under paragraph (2) may appeal to the

 

Commission in writing within 14 days of receipt of service under paragraph

 

(2A).’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

93

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  4,  leave out from ‘within’ to end and insert ‘28 days of

 

receipt of that disclosure notice.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

94

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  5,  leave out sub-paragraph (5).

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

95

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  6,  leave out ‘their functions’ and insert ‘an investigation


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 11th November 2008                

113

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

where they have reasonable suspicion that an offence under this Act involving in excess

 

of £10,000 has been committed.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

96

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  7,  after ‘enter’, insert ‘, only with authorisation by a

 

warrant issued under paragraph 3 of this Schedule and when accompanied by a police

 

constable,’.

 

Mr Michael Wills

 

122

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  12,  at end insert—

 

         

‘This is subject to paragraph 2(6).’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

97

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  12,  at end insert—

 

    ‘(6)  

For the purposes of this Schedule a person authorised by the Commission is a

 

person who has express written authority of the Commission to act on its

 

behalf and is one of the following—

 

(a)    

an employee of managerial level of the Electoral Commission;

 

(b)    

a member of a police force in England and Wales;

 

(c)    

a constable of a police force in Scotland; or

 

(d)    

a member of the Police Service for Northern Ireland.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

98

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  12,  at end insert—

 

    ‘(6)  

A person authorised by the Commission (who is not a police constable) may

 

not use any force to enter premises, but a police constable may use such

 

reasonable force only as is necessary to gain entrance to the premises.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

99

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  22,  leave out sub-paragraph (2).

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

100

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  32,  leave out sub-paragraph (3).

 

Mr Michael Wills

 

123

 

Schedule  1,  page  14,  line  45,  at end insert—

 

    ‘(6)  

The power conferred by paragraph 1(5) may not be used to enter premises and

 

inspect documents for the purposes of an investigation by the Commission of

 

the suspected offence or contravention.’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 11th November 2008                

114

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

103

 

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  1,  leave out ‘justice of the peace’ and insert ‘judge in the

 

High Court’.

 

Nick Ainger

 

137

 

Parliamentary Star    

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  2,  leave out from beginning to first ‘on’ in line 3 and

 

insert ‘The Electoral Commission may on notice apply to the High Court for an order,

 

subject to sub-paragraph (1A),’.

 

Mr Fabian Hamilton

 

Mr Denis MacShane

 

Nick Ainger

 

12

 

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  2,  after ‘may’, insert ‘, subject to sub-paragraph (1A),’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

101

 

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  6,  after ‘Act’, insert ‘involving in excess of £10,000.’.

 

Mr Fabian Hamilton

 

Mr Denis MacShane

 

13

 

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  11,  at end insert—

 

  ‘(1A)  

A justice of the peace may not issue a warrant under this paragraph in respect

 

of any premises used by a holder of a relevant elective office.’.

 

Mr Fabian Hamilton

 

Mr Denis McShane

 

Nick Ainger

 

150

 

Parliamentary Star    

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  11,  at end insert—

 

  ‘(1A)  

A court may not issue a warrant under this paragraph in respect of any premises

 

used by a holder of a relevant elective office.’.

 

Nick Ainger

 

139

 

Parliamentary Star    

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  19,  leave out ‘A warrant’ and insert ‘An order’.

 

Nick Ainger

 

138

 

Parliamentary Star    

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  31,  leave out ‘A warrant’ and insert ‘An order’.

 

Mr Michael Wills

 

124

 

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  38,  at end insert—

 

‘Authorisation of application for warrant under paragraph 3

 

    (1)  

An application for a warrant under paragraph 3 may not be made without the

 

written authorisation of—


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 11th November 2008                

115

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

(a)    

the chief executive of the Commission, or

 

(b)    

where the office of chief executive is vacant or the chief executive is

 

absent or unable to act, a member of the staff of the Commission who

 

has previously been designated by the chief executive for the purposes

 

of this paragraph and whose designation is still in force.

 

      (2)  

A person may be designated under sub-paragraph (1)(b) only if the chief

 

executive considers the person to be suitable having regard to the person’s

 

experience and level of seniority as a member of the staff of the Commission.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

25

 

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  41,  leave out ‘three months’ and insert ‘42 days from the

 

date on which they were seized.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

26

 

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  45,  leave out from ‘within’ to ‘proceedings’ and insert

 

‘42 days from the date on which they were seized.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

27

 

Schedule  1,  page  16,  line  2,  at end insert—

 

‘(2A)    

The Commission may apply a magistrates court to extend this 42 day period by a

 

further 14 days where they can prove on reasonable grounds that the continued

 

retention of such documents is vital to the investigation into offences under this

 

Act which involve in excess of £10,000.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

28

 

Schedule  1,  page  17,  line  13,  at end insert—

 

‘(2)    

Where originals have been removed from premises, the Commission must take

 

all reasonable steps to provide the individual or organisation with copies of those

 

documents within 24 hours.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

29

 

Schedule  1,  page  17,  line  23,  at end insert ‘and leave a copy of such authorisation

 

of warrant with that person.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

30

 

Schedule  1,  page  17,  line  34,  after ‘any’, insert ‘reasonable’.

 

Martin Linton

 

118

 

Schedule  1,  page  18,  line  41,  at begining insert ‘Subject to subsection (1A),’.


 
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