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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

My Lords, it is a good job that the Lords’ procedure allows us to debate amendments on Third Reading. I shall not be able to answer the points that have been made. I am now told that the second note I received was wrong. I am not sure whether that means I have to withdraw my apology. It is all too complicated. I know that it is Thursday, and we have Third Reading listed for next week, but I shall have to write to noble Lords before next week on the issue of permissible donors in the UK. There is an issue here: Northern Ireland citizens are members of the United Kingdom. I shall have to get clarification on the matter. I leave aside the Commonwealth argument, which is a separate one on which I shall seek further advice. As I said, we need to make sure that the changes do not constitute a back door route through which funds can be made available to political parties in Great Britain. That was a central issue that the noble Lord, Lord Glentoran, raised. Under the legislation, Irish citizens will be able to donate only to parties running candidates for election in Northern Ireland. Those parties will not be able to make donations to parties, regulated donees or candidates in Great Britain, so the measure cannot be used as a back door method of funding political parties in Great Britain. I gladly give way to the noble Lord.