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Political Parties and Elections Bill

In that case, the parties would have time to make copies. The point that I was going to make in response to the intervention of the noble Lord, Lord Borrie, was that I accept that the documents can be copied and I accept the Minister’s explanation that the Electoral Commission needs to have original copies. It is the others who would want to keep copies. The amendment was intended purely to probe the Government on an appropriate length of time. The Government’s explanation was that they took this period of three months from Section 176(8) of the Financial Services Act. If that is the case, it might be more appropriate than our 42 days, which the commission might consider to be too short. However, at this stage I should like to consider our position and look very carefully at what the Minister has said and at what the noble Lord, Lord Tyler, has said from the Liberal Democrat Benches. There are very good reasons from time to time for copying a provision from one Act to another. If three months is the period stated in the Financial Services Act, it might be appropriate for this Bill, but it might also be considered to be too long. In withdrawing this amendment and not moving the others in this group, I should make it clear that it is likely that we will come back to this matter on Report, perhaps not with 42 days but with another period. I shall read with extreme care what the Minister said. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 15 withdrawn. Amendments 16 to 23 not moved.