My Lords, for my contribution, I wish to place on record a statement by Councillor Lisa Hinton, deputy leader of Cumbria—one of Cumbria’s finest councillors—on the scale of abuse that she has been receiving:

“The abuse I receive online is not abstract—it is personal, relentless, and at times shocking. I have...

My Lords, for my contribution, I wish to place on record a statement by Councillor Lisa Hinton, deputy leader of Cumbria—one of Cumbria’s finest councillors—on the scale of abuse that she has been receiving:

“The abuse I receive online is not abstract—it is personal, relentless, and at times shocking. I have...

My Lords, I welcome the noble Lord to his place. I have watched him on the Back Benches over a number of years and wondered when his day would come; it has finally come and I congratulate him.

Article 2(3) of the order

“adds to that list of matters reasonably incurred expenditure...

My Lords, I welcome the noble Lord to his place. I have watched him on the Back Benches over a number of years and wondered when his day would come; it has finally come and I congratulate him.

Article 2(3) of the order

“adds to that list of matters reasonably incurred expenditure...

Her Majesty's Government what evidence they will require of disability of persons standing as Police and Crime Commissioners who have disability-related expenses which are not to be included under rules governing candidate spending limits in their proposed secondary legislation.

Her Majesty's Government what evidence they will require of disability of persons standing as Police and Crime Commissioners who have disability-related expenses which are not to be included under rules governing candidate spending limits in their proposed secondary legislation.

I will be very brief, so do not worry. Paragraph 14.3 of the Explanatory Memorandum refers to the EnAble Fund for Elected Office having,

“robust checks and balances in place to ensure that grants are allocated to eligible applicants”.

It then sets out the process to ensure that happens, because, obviously, public...

I will be very brief, so do not worry. Paragraph 14.3 of the Explanatory Memorandum refers to the EnAble Fund for Elected Office having,

“robust checks and balances in place to ensure that grants are allocated to eligible applicants”.

It then sets out the process to ensure that happens, because, obviously, public...

Does the noble Baroness accept that it is extremely difficult to prove that a person is not capable in many circumstances?

Does the noble Baroness accept that it is extremely difficult to prove that a person is not capable in many circumstances?

My Lords, I oppose the amendment, which I regard more as a probing amendment at this stage, and support the review. While I would not wish to appear reactionary, I wish to comment on the practical difficulties that should be firmly considered in the review. I recall debates on these...

My Lords, I oppose the amendment, which I regard more as a probing amendment at this stage, and support the review. While I would not wish to appear reactionary, I wish to comment on the practical difficulties that should be firmly considered in the review. I recall debates on these...

My Lords, I hesitate to dissent from a view expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Neill of Bladen, but I would say the following to him on the question of state funding. If you put state funding directly to the British people, as against a system that in part almost...

My Lords, I hesitate to dissent from a view expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Neill of Bladen, but I would say the following to him on the question of state funding. If you put state funding directly to the British people, as against a system that in part almost...

My Lords, I want to speak on this amendment, because I think it is an important issue. The reality is that we were in Committee prior to the last round of elections. It seems to me that this is an escalating level of abuse: if we allow it to develop...

My Lords, I want to speak on this amendment, because I think it is an important issue. The reality is that we were in Committee prior to the last round of elections. It seems to me that this is an escalating level of abuse: if we allow it to develop...

Communications.

Communications.

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Tyler, will know that unfortunately I dissent from the position that he has taken. I ask him to forgive me because we work together very well in a number of areas of the Bill. I did not move my amendment because I wanted to...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Tyler, will know that unfortunately I dissent from the position that he has taken. I ask him to forgive me because we work together very well in a number of areas of the Bill. I did not move my amendment because I wanted to...

But the noble Lord has suggested it. He has made an accusation that we wish to defer the measure for electoral considerations. He should spell out exactly what he means, because it brings me to the heart of my case. He should not duck the question that I am asking.

But the noble Lord has suggested it. He has made an accusation that we wish to defer the measure for electoral considerations. He should spell out exactly what he means, because it brings me to the heart of my case. He should not duck the question that I am asking.

I know that the noble Lord is not doing that, but others have. Something else came out when I looked into this. I looked into the famous "brown book", where all the election results of Members of Parliament are, and I looked up the Northern Ireland seats. Something struck me...

I know that the noble Lord is not doing that, but others have. Something else came out when I looked into this. I looked into the famous "brown book", where all the election results of Members of Parliament are, and I looked up the Northern Ireland seats. Something struck me...

Does that not completely misunderstand the nature of the debate that is going on in these communities? In the areas where these problems have arisen over ethnic minority, basically, vote-rigging, it dominates the local press. People everywhere say, "What are we going to do about it?". They do not say,...

Does that not completely misunderstand the nature of the debate that is going on in these communities? In the areas where these problems have arisen over ethnic minority, basically, vote-rigging, it dominates the local press. People everywhere say, "What are we going to do about it?". They do not say,...

I do not expect my noble friend to answer directly now my two questions. Is it true that EROs are paid on the numbers of persons registered? If so, will that arise under this new arrangement? In other words, are they paid on the numbers that they manage and the...

I do not expect my noble friend to answer directly now my two questions. Is it true that EROs are paid on the numbers of persons registered? If so, will that arise under this new arrangement? In other words, are they paid on the numbers that they manage and the...

My noble friend said that confusion might be caused. Would that be because some people might find themselves removed from the electoral register? In what circumstances would that happen?

My noble friend said that confusion might be caused. Would that be because some people might find themselves removed from the electoral register? In what circumstances would that happen?

I think that the noble Lord has a case. However, if an electoral registration officer within the local authority is dissatisfied with the response of the local authority, and he or she maintains that there is a problem with corruption of the electoral system, they can go to the Electoral...

I think that the noble Lord has a case. However, if an electoral registration officer within the local authority is dissatisfied with the response of the local authority, and he or she maintains that there is a problem with corruption of the electoral system, they can go to the Electoral...

I am glad the noble Lord has raised that valid point because it draws further attention to the invalidity of the statistics that were published on those three authorities. However, 439th, Belfast; 438th, Camden in London, which has the same characteristic foreign population; 437th, Antrim; 436th, Limavady in Northern Ireland—they...

I am glad the noble Lord has raised that valid point because it draws further attention to the invalidity of the statistics that were published on those three authorities. However, 439th, Belfast; 438th, Camden in London, which has the same characteristic foreign population; 437th, Antrim; 436th, Limavady in Northern Ireland—they...

On that matter, no one has given us those assurances. The official Opposition have not said that they are prepared to ring-fence those resources, which is absolutely critical. If they are not ring-fenced, they will be absorbed elsewhere and there will be cuts in budgets.

On that matter, no one has given us those assurances. The official Opposition have not said that they are prepared to ring-fence those resources, which is absolutely critical. If they are not ring-fenced, they will be absorbed elsewhere and there will be cuts in budgets.

The problem essentially, as the noble Lord, Lord Henley, said, is fraud in the postal vote system. We are introducing a system of national rollout to deal with a problem of fraud which exists in very few parts of the country. The most recent case, if I remember rightly, was...

The problem essentially, as the noble Lord, Lord Henley, said, is fraud in the postal vote system. We are introducing a system of national rollout to deal with a problem of fraud which exists in very few parts of the country. The most recent case, if I remember rightly, was...

I cannot understand why the noble Lord wants to publish a Member’s address but not their source of employment.

I cannot understand why the noble Lord wants to publish a Member’s address but not their source of employment.