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Political Parties and Elections Bill

Schedule 1: Investigatory powers of Commission: Schedule to be inserted into the 2000 Act Amendments 7 to 11 7: Schedule 1, page 43, leave out lines 17 to 28 and insert— "(2) A justice of the peace may issue an inspection warrant in relation to premises occupied by any such organisation or individual if satisfied, on information on oath given by or on behalf of the Commission, that— (a) there are reasonable grounds for believing that on those premises there are documents relating to the income and expenditure of the organisation or individual, (b) the Commission need to inspect the documents for the purposes of carrying out functions of the Commission other than investigatory functions, and (c) permission to inspect the documents on the premises has been requested by the Commission and has been unreasonably refused. (3) An inspection warrant is a warrant authorising a member of the Commission’s staff— (a) at any reasonable time to enter the premises specified in the warrant, and (b) having entered the premises, to inspect any documents within sub-paragraph (2)(a). (4) An inspection warrant also authorises the person who executes the warrant to be accompanied by any other persons who the Commission consider are needed to assist in executing it. (5) The person executing an inspection warrant must, if required to do so, produce— (a) the warrant, and (b) documentary evidence that the person is a member of the Commission’s staff, for inspection by the occupier of the premises that are specified in the warrant or by anyone acting on the occupier’s behalf. (6) An inspection warrant continues in force until the end of the period of one month beginning with the day on which it is issued. (7) An inspection warrant may not be used for the purposes of carrying out investigatory functions. (8) In this paragraph "investigatory functions" means functions of investigating suspected offences under this Act or suspected contraventions of restrictions or requirements imposed by or by virtue of this Act. (9) In the application of this paragraph to Scotland— (a) a reference to a justice of the peace is to be read as a reference to a justice of the peace or a sheriff; (b) a reference to information on oath is to be read as a reference to evidence on oath." 8: Schedule 1, page 44, leave out lines 18 to 21 9: Schedule 1, page 47, leave out lines 14 to 18 10: Schedule 1, page 49, line 11, leave out "exercise their power" and insert "apply for a warrant" 11: Schedule 1, page 49, line 36, after "under" insert "a warrant issued under" Amendments 7 to 11 agreed.