| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish: My Lords, I shall withdraw the amendment but I am less than convinced by the Minister's argument. Such an important piece of legislation ought to be consistent. Frankly, as I have clearly demonstrated, the Bill is not consistent about who is allowed to be a permitted participant and who is allowed to be a permitted donor. They ought to be the same.
The Government ought to consider the point about residence but I am more concerned about the second amendment. I fully understand that a rich person who
wants to influence a referendum and lives in this country will be caught by the rules and spending limits. However, my point is that the rich individual goes abroad and uses modern methods. I mentioned advertisements paid for from abroad; television advertisements originating abroad from, say, satellite television; and material posted from Holland, which has an efficient system, delivered to the United Kingdom. Is there any way such a person's spending will be controlled?One of the problems the Government have about referendums is that they are worried about rich people spending fortunes on one side or the other. If I can spot the fact that the rich person needs merely to move abroad and he can then spend his fortune as he likes on sending propaganda back into the UK, anyone intent on doing so will already have spotted it. Therefore, the Government ought to do some quick thinking between now and Monday. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
[Amendment No. 173 not moved.]
Schedule 12 [Assistance available to designated organisations]:
[Amendment No. 174 not moved.]
Clause 111 [Restriction on payments in respect of referendum expenses]:
Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish moved Amendments Nos. 175 and 176:
- Page 81, line 9, leave out ("and") and insert ("or").
- Page 81, line 10, leave out ("£100") and insert ("£200").
On Question, amendments agreed to.
Lord Bach moved Amendments Nos. 177 and 178:
- Page 81, line 15, at end insert ("or receipt").
- Page 81, line 16, leave out from ("payment") to end of line 18.
On Question, amendments agreed to.
Clause 112 [Restriction on making claims in respect of referendum expenses]:
Lord Bach moved Amendment No. 179:
- Page 81, line 24, leave out (", together with the relevant invoice,").
On Question, amendment agreed to.
Lord Davies of Oldham: My Lords, I beg to move that further consideration on Report be now adjourned.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.
- House adjourned at two minutes before one o'clock.
| Next Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |