Previous Section Index Home Page


2 Mar 2009 : Column 642

2 Mar 2009 : Column 643

2 Mar 2009 : Column 644

2 Mar 2009 : Column 645

Schedule 3


Declaration as to source of donation

Amendments made: 100, page 38, line 24, leave out ‘£5,000’ and insert ‘£7,500’.

Amendment 101, page 38, line 26, leave out ‘£1,000’ and insert ‘£1,500’.

Amendment 102, page 38, line 30, leave out ‘£5,000’ and insert ‘£7,500’.

Amendment 103, page 38, line 32, leave out ‘£1,000’ and insert ‘£1,500’.

Amendment 104, page 39, line 3, leave out ‘£5,000’ and insert ‘£7,500’.

Amendment 105, page 39, line 5, leave out ‘£1,000’ and insert ‘£1,500’.

Amendment 106, page 40, line 18, leave out ‘£5,000’ and insert ‘£7,500’.

Amendment 107, page 40, line 23, leave out ‘£5,000’ and insert ‘£7,500’.


2 Mar 2009 : Column 646

Amendment 108, page 40, line 39, leave out ‘£5,000’ and insert ‘£7,500’.

Amendment 109, page 42, line 2, leave out ‘£5,000’ and insert ‘£7,500’.

Amendment 110, page 42, line 7, leave out ‘£5,000’ and insert ‘£7,500’.

Amendment 111, page 42, line 20, leave out ‘£5,000’ and insert ‘£7,500’.— (Mark Tami.)

New Clause 20


Reports of gifts received by unincorporated associations making donations

‘(1) After section 140 of the 2000 Act there is inserted—

“Reports to Commission by unincorporated associations making political donations

“140A Reports of gifts received by unincorporated associations

Schedule 19ZA, which requires unincorporated associations making political donations to report gifts received by them to the Commission, has effect.”

(2) Before Schedule 19A to the 2000 Act (inserted by section 2 above) there is inserted, as Schedule 19ZA, the Schedule set out in Schedule [Reports of gifts received by unincorporated associations making donations: Schedule to be inserted into the 2000 Act] to this Act.

(3) In Schedule 20 to the 2000 Act the following entries are inserted at the appropriate place—

    “Paragraph 6(1) of Schedule 19ZA (failure to give notification or report within specified period)

    On summary conviction: Level 5.

    Paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 19ZA (giving notification or report that fails to comply with requirements of that Schedule)

    On summary conviction in England and Wales or Scotland: statutory maximum or 12 months.

    On summary conviction in Northern Ireland: statutory maximum or 6 months.

    On indictment: fine or 1 year.

    Paragraph 6(3) of Schedule 19ZA (making false declaration in notification or report)

    On summary conviction in England and Wales or Scotland: statutory maximum or 12 months.

    On summary conviction in Northern Ireland: statutory maximum or 6 months.

    On indictment: fine or 1 year.”


(4) The Secretary of State, after consulting the Electoral Commission, may make an order that—

(a) amends or modifies the Schedule inserted into the 2000 Act by Schedule [Reports of gifts received by unincorporated associations making donations: Schedule to be inserted into the 2000 Act] so far as it applies in relation to Northern Ireland;

(b) makes provision that is consequential on or supplemental to that made by virtue of paragraph (a) (including provision amending or modifying any provision of the 2000 Act).

(5) The power to make an order under subsection (4) is exercisable by statutory instrument.

(6) No order may be made under subsection (4) unless a draft of the instrument containing the order has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.


2 Mar 2009 : Column 647

(7) In the Schedule inserted into the 2000 Act by Schedule [Reports of gifts received by unincorporated associations making donations: Schedule to be inserted into the 2000 Act] to this Act—

(a) the reference in paragraph 1(1) to a calendar year does not include any year before 2010;

(b) a reference in paragraph 2 to a gift does not include any gift received before the day on which this Act is passed.’.— (Mark Tami.)

Brought up, and added to the Bill.

Clause 23


Commencement

Amendment made : 112, page 14, line 38, at end insert—

Schedule 4


Minor and consequential amendments

Amendments made:113, in page 45, line 30, at end insert

‘ In the heading to Part 9, after “COMPANIES” there is inserted “AND UNINCOPORATED ASSOCIATIONS”.’.

Amendment 114, page 45, line 39, at end insert—

New Schedule 1


‘Reports of gifts received by unincorporated associations making donations: Schedule to be inserted into the 2000 Act


“Schedule 19ZA Section 140A


Reports of gifts received by unincorporated associations making donations

Requirement to notify Commission of donations over £25,000

1 (1) Where in any calendar year an unincorporated association falling within section 54(2)(h)—

(a) makes a political donation of more than £25,000, not having previously made any political donations in that year, or

(b) makes a political donation which takes the total amount of such donations made by it in that year above £25,000,

the association must notify the Commission accordingly within the period of 30 days beginning with the date on which the donation was made.

(2) A “political donation” is a donation to any of the following—

(a) a registered party;

(b) a regulated donee;

(c) a recognised third party;

(d) a permitted participant.

(3) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(b) a donation is not counted towards the total unless it is a donation of more than £500.


2 Mar 2009 : Column 648

(4) In this paragraph—

“donation”—

(a) in relation to a registered party, has the meaning given in Chapter 1 of Part 4;(b) in relation to a regulated donee, has the meaning given in Part 1 of Schedule 7;(c) in relation to a recognised third party, has the meaning given in Part 1 of Schedule 11;(d) in relation to a permitted participant, has the meaning given to “relevant donation” in Part 1 of Schedule 15;

“permitted participant” has the meaning given in section 105 except that it does not include a registered party other than a minor party;

“recognised third party” has the meaning given in section 85;

“regulated donee” has the meaning given in Part 1 of Schedule 7.

(5) For the purposes of this paragraph—

(a) the value of a donation to a registered party shall be determined in accordance with section 53;

(b) the value of a donation to a regulated donee shall be determined in accordance with paragraph 5 of Schedule 7;

(c) the value of a donation to a recognised third party shall be determined in accordance with paragraph 5 of Schedule 11;

(d) the value of a donation to a permitted participant shall be determined in accordance with paragraph 5 of Schedule 15.

(6) Where a donation is sent on one day and received on another, it is treated for the purposes of this paragraph as made on the earlier of those days.

Requirement to report gifts received to Commission

2 (1) This paragraph applies where the making of a donation by an unincorporated association causes the association to be subject to the notification requirement in paragraph 1; and in this paragraph—

“the donation date” means the date on which that donation was made;

“quarter” means a period of three months ending on 31st March, 30th June, 30th September or 31st December.

(2) Within the period of 60 days beginning with the donation date, the unincorporated association must make a report to the Commission—

(a) specifying every gift of more than £7,500 received by the association in the period—

(i) beginning at the start of the calendar year preceding the year in which the donation date falls, and

(ii) ending with the donation date,

or

(b) (if it is the case) stating that the association received no such gifts in the period mentioned in paragraph (a).

(3) Within the period of 30 days following the end of the first quarter to begin after the donation date, the unincorporated association must make a report to the Commission—

(a) specifying every gift of more than £7,500 received by the association in the period—

(i) beginning with the day after the donation date, and

(ii) ending with the end of the quarter,

or

(b) (if it is the case) stating that the association received no such gifts in the period mentioned in paragraph (a).

(4) In relation to each subsequent quarter ending in the calendar year in which the donation date falls or in the following calendar year, the unincorporated association must within the period of 30 days following the end of the quarter make a report to the Commission—


2 Mar 2009 : Column 649

(a) specifying every gift of more than £7,500 received by the association in the quarter, or

(b) (if it is the case) stating that the association received no such gifts in the quarter.

(5) Where—

(a) an unincorporated association receives two or more gifts of more than £500 from the same person in the same calendar year, and

(b) those gifts amount to more than £7,500 in total,

the association is treated for the purposes of this paragraph as receiving a gift of more than £7,500 on the day on which it receives the gift that takes the total amount of gifts from that person in that year above £7,500.

(6) Where—

(a) an unincorporated association receives (or is treated by sub-paragraph (5) as receiving) a gift of more than £7,500 from a particular person, and

(b) later in the same calendar year the association receives a gift of more than £1,500 from the same person,

that subsequent gift is treated for the purposes of this paragraph in the same way as a gift of more than £7,500.

(7) A reference in this paragraph to a gift of more than a certain amount is to be read, in the case of a gift in a form other than money, as a reference to a gift with a value of more than that amount.

(8) Nothing in this paragraph requires an unincorporated association to report to the Commission—

(a) any gift that it has already reported to them under this paragraph, or

(b) in the case of an association that at the relevant time was a members association within the meaning of Schedule 7, any gift that it is required to report to them under Part 3 of that Schedule.

Information to be included in reports under paragraph 2

3 (1) A report under paragraph 2 must give the following information in relation to each gift that is required to be specified—

(a) the date on which it was received;

(b) the form that it took;

(c) the amount or value of it;

(d) whatever details the unincorporated association knows of the name and address of the person by whom the gift was made.

(2) Where paragraph 2(5) applies, each of the gifts of more than £500 mentioned in that provision is required to be specified separately for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1).

(3) Where a person (“P”) makes a gift indirectly through one or more intermediaries, the reference in sub-paragraph (1)(d) to the person by whom the gift was made is to be read as a reference to P and each of the intermediaries.

Declaration by authorised individual4 A notification under paragraph 1 or a report under paragraph 2 must contain a declaration, made by an individual authorised to do so by the unincorporated association concerned, that to the best of the individual’s knowledge and belief—

(a) everything stated in the notification or report is accurate, and

(b) the notification or report contains everything that it is required to contain by this Schedule.

Additional matters to be included in notifications and reports5 A notification under paragraph 1 or a report under paragraph 2 must (as well as containing the things that paragraphs 1 and 4 or paragraphs 3 and 4 require it to contain)—

(a) state the name of the unincorporated association by which it is given;

(b) state the address of the association’s main office in the United Kingdom;


2 Mar 2009 : Column 650

(c) state the full name and address of the individual making the declaration under paragraph 4;

(d) state that the individual is authorised by the unincorporated association to make the declaration;

(e) describe the individual’s role or position in relation to the association.

Offences

6 (1) An unincorporated association commits an offence if it—

(a) is required by paragraph 1 to give a notification to the Commission, or

(b) is required by paragraph 2 to make a report to the Commission,

and fails without reasonable excuse to do so within the permitted period.

(2) An unincorporated association commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, it—

(a) gives a notification to the Commission under paragraph 1, or

(b) makes a report to the Commission under paragraph 2,

which fails to comply with any requirement of this Schedule applying to the notification or report.

(3) An individual who knowingly or recklessly makes a false declaration under paragraph 4 commits an offence.

(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) the “permitted period” is—

(a) in relation to a notification under paragraph 1, the period of 30 days mentioned in paragraph 1(1);

(b) in relation to a notice under sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 2, the period of 60 days mentioned in that sub-paragraph;

(c) in relation to a notice under sub-paragraph (3) of paragraph 2, the period of 30 days mentioned in that sub-paragraph;

(d) in relation to a notice under sub-paragraph (4) of paragraph 2, the period of 30 days mentioned in that sub-paragraph.

Register of recordable gifts to unincorporated associations

7 (1) The Commission shall maintain a register of all notifications made to them under paragraph 1 and all gifts reported to them under paragraph 2.

(2) The register shall be maintained by the Commission in such form as they may determine and shall contain the following details—

(a) in the case of each notification under paragraph 1—

(i) the name of the unincorporated association by which the notification was given;

(ii) the address of the association’s main office in the United Kingdom;

(iii) the date on which the notification was given;

(b) in the case of each gift reported under paragraph 2—

(i) the name of the unincorporated association by which the report was given;

(ii) the address of the association’s main office in the United Kingdom;

(iii) (subject to sub-paragraph (4) and paragraph 8) the information provided under paragraph 3.

(3) Where the Commission are given any notification under paragraph 1 or any report under paragraph 2, they shall cause the details mentioned in sub-paragraph (2)(a) (in respect of a notification) or sub-paragraph (2)(b) (in respect of a report) to be entered in the register as soon as is reasonably practicable.

(4) The information to be entered in the register in respect of any individual shall not include the individual’s home address.

8 (1) This paragraph applies where—

(a) an unincorporated association receives a gift in respect of which an entry falls to be made in the register under paragraph 7, and


Next Section Index Home Page