The Secretary of State's clarification again shows how important it is to take time to get such legislation right. I have calculated on my BlackBerry that someone who wanted to give money to a particular party in every constituency in the country could give £4,844,354 a year and apparently not...

The Secretary of State's clarification again shows how important it is to take time to get such legislation right. I have calculated on my BlackBerry that someone who wanted to give money to a particular party in every constituency in the country could give £4,844,354 a year and apparently not...

No, because I think I would be brought back into order if I did so. The hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans)—he is not here, but it is important that I correct the record—asked whether aggregate donations would breach the limit. Although I did not say so in terms,...

No, because I think I would be brought back into order if I did so. The hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans)—he is not here, but it is important that I correct the record—asked whether aggregate donations would breach the limit. Although I did not say so in terms,...

You need a Fisherman's Friend.

You need a Fisherman's Friend.

I think I need more than that. I am going to stop now; I think that would be wise, in the interests of my cough, if nothing else. I commend the amendments that stand in my name. Lords amendment 11 disagreed to. Lords amendment 12 disagreed to. Government amendments (a)...

I think I need more than that. I am going to stop now; I think that would be wise, in the interests of my cough, if nothing else. I commend the amendments that stand in my name. Lords amendment 11 disagreed to. Lords amendment 12 disagreed to. Government amendments (a)...

My right hon. Friend may well be right. I want to concentrate on the question of whether the proposed measure would have an impact within the context of the Human Rights Act and article 10, which is about freedom of expression. Unlike the hon. Member for Cambridge, I think that...

My right hon. Friend may well be right. I want to concentrate on the question of whether the proposed measure would have an impact within the context of the Human Rights Act and article 10, which is about freedom of expression. Unlike the hon. Member for Cambridge, I think that...

The Secretary of State, almost certainly for reasons of forensic and rhetorical flourish, is misrepresenting and mischaracterising the policy of the party to which I belong. As he knows very well, our policy is to replace the schedule to the Human Rights Act with a new Bill of Rights based...

The Secretary of State, almost certainly for reasons of forensic and rhetorical flourish, is misrepresenting and mischaracterising the policy of the party to which I belong. As he knows very well, our policy is to replace the schedule to the Human Rights Act with a new Bill of Rights based...

With the leave of the House, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I should like to respond to the debate. It has been characterised by two distinct kinds of speeches. The hon. Members for Huntingdon (Mr. Djanogly) and for Cambridge (David Howarth) and many—but not all—contributors from my side have sought to address...

With the leave of the House, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I should like to respond to the debate. It has been characterised by two distinct kinds of speeches. The hon. Members for Huntingdon (Mr. Djanogly) and for Cambridge (David Howarth) and many—but not all—contributors from my side have sought to address...

Will the Secretary of State give way?

Will the Secretary of State give way?

I look forward to seeing further particulars of that proposal, especially as the other bit of the Conservatives' policy is that they apparently remain committed to the convention. How the devil one is able to draft a new schedule that is consistent with the convention without its ending up being...

I look forward to seeing further particulars of that proposal, especially as the other bit of the Conservatives' policy is that they apparently remain committed to the convention. How the devil one is able to draft a new schedule that is consistent with the convention without its ending up being...

It would be a rash politician who ever said "never", but when the hon. Lady has heard the rest of my remarks, I think she will agree that rushing the matter in the way she suggests would be unwise and risk tarnishing our whole electoral system. I will go through...

It would be a rash politician who ever said "never", but when the hon. Lady has heard the rest of my remarks, I think she will agree that rushing the matter in the way she suggests would be unwise and risk tarnishing our whole electoral system. I will go through...

I understand the Minister's point about 2014 and the amount of work that has to be done, but if matters happen to move more quickly than he anticipates, will the Government take steps to bring forward the date for full introduction to, for example, 2013 or 2012, if that is...

I understand the Minister's point about 2014 and the amount of work that has to be done, but if matters happen to move more quickly than he anticipates, will the Government take steps to bring forward the date for full introduction to, for example, 2013 or 2012, if that is...

I am very grateful to the hon. Lady, and I look forward to her support for the amendments as a result. It is important that we take a phased approach, alongside extensive work to increase registration rates. That will enable us to uphold the integrity of our electoral registration processes...

I am very grateful to the hon. Lady, and I look forward to her support for the amendments as a result. It is important that we take a phased approach, alongside extensive work to increase registration rates. That will enable us to uphold the integrity of our electoral registration processes...

I beg to move, That this House agrees with Lords amendment 33.

I beg to move, That this House agrees with Lords amendment 33.

Of course I accept that, and I said that the corporation sole must be demonstrably independent of the Government. I do not think that the Secretary of State would quite qualify under that particular criterion. Data security and protection are very important and, for that reason, the new power provides...

Of course I accept that, and I said that the corporation sole must be demonstrably independent of the Government. I do not think that the Secretary of State would quite qualify under that particular criterion. Data security and protection are very important and, for that reason, the new power provides...

I appreciate the need for flexibility, but will the Minister say a bit more about what sort of body he has in mind? Simply requiring the power to be given to a corporation sole might mean that it ends up being given to the Secretary of State, or to a...

I appreciate the need for flexibility, but will the Minister say a bit more about what sort of body he has in mind? Simply requiring the power to be given to a corporation sole might mean that it ends up being given to the Secretary of State, or to a...

These amendments were introduced on Report in the Lords and accepted without debate. They are seen as necessary for the implementation of the CORE scheme, the co-ordinated online record of electors. In particular, they are essential to ensure that there is authority to create a new non-departmental public body to...

These amendments were introduced on Report in the Lords and accepted without debate. They are seen as necessary for the implementation of the CORE scheme, the co-ordinated online record of electors. In particular, they are essential to ensure that there is authority to create a new non-departmental public body to...

The Government tabled several amendments to the Bill's provisions on the Electoral Commission's powers and governance at various stages in the other place. These amendments all respond to concerns raised in this House, in the other place, or by the Electoral Commission. I will briefly outline the effect of each...

The Government tabled several amendments to the Bill's provisions on the Electoral Commission's powers and governance at various stages in the other place. These amendments all respond to concerns raised in this House, in the other place, or by the Electoral Commission. I will briefly outline the effect of each...

Perhaps the hon. Lady will recast her formulation that we have changed our mind. She knows that we have approached everything in the Bill with an open mind and that we are flexible and ever eager for consensus on it.

Perhaps the hon. Lady will recast her formulation that we have changed our mind. She knows that we have approached everything in the Bill with an open mind and that we are flexible and ever eager for consensus on it.

I agree that the Minister has attempted to achieve consensus. I thought that we had achieved it on the matter until, suddenly, he wanted to achieve a different consensus at the 11th hour in the House of Lords. However, in the spirit of consensus and out of respect for the...

I agree that the Minister has attempted to achieve consensus. I thought that we had achieved it on the matter until, suddenly, he wanted to achieve a different consensus at the 11th hour in the House of Lords. However, in the spirit of consensus and out of respect for the...

Yes, precisely because they are smaller. Lords amendments 3 and 4 are consequential amendments. Lords amendments 5 and 6 enable the commission's chief executive to increase the one-year restriction on previous political activity for commission staff in clause 7 to a period of between two and five years by designating...

Yes, precisely because they are smaller. Lords amendments 3 and 4 are consequential amendments. Lords amendments 5 and 6 enable the commission's chief executive to increase the one-year restriction on previous political activity for commission staff in clause 7 to a period of between two and five years by designating...