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Company Law Reform Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 301ZZA:"Page 149, line 5, leave out subsection (4)." The noble Lord said: We have reached the part of the Bill dealing with the control of political donations and expenditure, which, as noble Lords would expect from someone who was for 12 years the treasurer of a political party, is a topic dear to my heart. My noble friend Lord Sharman and I have tabled a number of amendments that are probing in nature and designed to see how the Government will respond. Like all noble Lords I am slightly confused by the numbers and consonants of our amendments, but I think I am now moving Amendment No. 301ZZA, as the first one to address this issue. It is a short drafting amendment spotted by the Law Society. There appears to be some inconsistency between this subsection and Clause 338(1). I hope that the Minister can take this away and see whether he agrees with the point. Clauses 336(4) and 338(1) cover similar ground and there is a possibility of confusion over how they are to relate. Clause 338(1) defines ““political expenditure””, but Clause 336(4) also seems to do that, although in a slightly different way. Clause 338(1) does not refer to a ““political organisation””, while Clause 336(4) does. This requires a little drafting clarity. I am not sure whether any of the other epiglottal consonants in this grouping belong to me; I think they have been tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Hodgson. I beg to move.