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Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

My Lords, I follow the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay, when he says that he agrees with the intention of both these amendments. It may well be that the wording can be improved—and it probably can—but there will be general approval for the intention. I also begin by welcoming the contribution of the noble Lord, Lord Phillips, and indeed that of the noble Lord, Lord Rennard. Someone mentioned the vow of omerta. When we had a Liberal Democrat intervention in an area of policy which in many ways they have taken as their own, I was reminded rather more of the brave Horatius at the bridge: "““And even the ranks of Tuscany Could scarce forbear to cheer””." The noble Lord, Lord Phillips, mentioned the question of facilitation. This is clearly a possible problem because there will be a number of right hands and a number of left hands. It is important that this be a key role—even if the actual wording is not wholly appropriate. I was puzzled by another matter in this same section. In paragraph 10(1), we are told that: "““The Chief Counting Officer must take whatever steps the officer thinks appropriate””." At the end, in paragraph 10(5), we are told that: "““The Minister may reimburse any expenditure incurred by an officer for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) or (2)””" On the face of it, this gives an unlimited expenditure for the worthy objects of this paragraph and goes against all the normal government policies of being frightened and hesitant about open-ended commitments. It is wholly unlimited. One’s mind boggles at what, in following up this worthy objective, a very zealous officer may wish to do. So I simply commend to the Government—