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5

 

House of Commons

 
 

Tuesday 11th November 2008

 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill


 

[Fourth and Fifth Sittings]


 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Withdrawn  16

 

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

 

Public Appointments’ Code of Practice.’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 


 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Withdrawn  15

 

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

 

Pete Wishart

 

Withdrawn  112

 

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

 

Pete Wishart

 

Not called  113

 

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

 

Pete Wishart

 

Not called  114

 

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

 

person’.

 

Pete Wishart

 

Not called  115

 

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

 

Pete Wishart

 

Not called  116

 

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


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 11th November 2008      

6

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Withdrawn  105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

 

Negatived on division  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

 

Negatived on division  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

 

Not called  117

 

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

 

Pete Wishart

 

Not selected  109

 

Page  3,  line  32,  leave out Clause 5.

 

Clause Agreed to on division.

 


 

Pete Wishart

 

Not selected  110

 

Page  4,  line  39,  leave out Clause 6.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 

Clause 7 Agreed to.

 


 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Withdrawn  79

 

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


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 11th November 2008      

7

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Fabian Hamilton

 

Mr Denis MacShane

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Nick Ainger

 

Negatived on division  2

 

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

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Not called  81

 

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

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Not called  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.’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 


 

Nick Ainger

 

Not selected  130

 

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

 

Not selected  131

 

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

 

Not selected  132

 

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.’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 


 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Withdrawn  102

 

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


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 11th November 2008      

8

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Withdrawn  86

 

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

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Not called  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

 

Not called  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

 

Not called  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

 

Not called  90

 

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

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Not called  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

 

Not called  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

 

Not called  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

 

Withdrawn  94

 

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


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 11th November 2008      

9

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Not called  95

 

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

 

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

 

Not called  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

 

Agreed to  122

 

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

 

         

‘This is subject to paragraph 2(6).’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Not called  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

 

Not called  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

 

Withdrawn  99

 

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

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Not called  100

 

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

 

Mr Michael Wills

 

Agreed to  123

 

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


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 11th November 2008      

10

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

    ‘(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.’.

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Withdrawn  103

 

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

 

High Court’.

 

Nick Ainger

 

Not selected  137

 

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

 

Not called  12

 

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

 

Mr Jonathan Djanogly

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Not called  101

 

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

 

Mr Fabian Hamilton

 

Mr Denis MacShane

 

Not selected  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

 

Not selected  150

 

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

 

Not selected  139

 

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

 

Nick Ainger

 

Not selected  138

 

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

 

Mr Michael Wills

 

Agreed to  124

 

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


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 11th November 2008      

11

 

Political Parties and Elections Bill, continued

 
 

‘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—

 

(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

 

Withdrawn  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

 

Not called  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

 

Not called  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.’.

 

[Adjourned till Thursday at 9.00 a.m.


 
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