§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI beg to move, Amendment No. 21, in page 29, line 46, at end insert:
'and at the end of the paragraph there shall be added—Provided that if the packets are not delivered by the presiding officer personally 1461 to the returning officer, the arrangements for their delivery shall require the approval of the returning officer"'.In Committee, on 11th December, the Government indicated that they accepted the spirit of an Opposition Amendment to paragraph 9 of the Schedule to provide that the parliamentary election rules 44 (1), which require the presiding officer, on the close of the poll, to deliver the packets or the ballot boxes and so on, or to cause them to be delivered, to the returning officer, should provide that in the latter case, it should be by a person authorised by the returning officer. I think the hon. Gentleman will find that this Amendment meets just that point precisely.
§ Mr. SharplesThis Amendment does meet the point which we raised in Committee and we are grateful to the Government for accepting the proposal.
§ Amendment agreed to.