HC Deb 27 March 1969 vol 780 cc1853-4

Lords Amendment: No. 17, in page 15, line 29, at beginning insert: (1) In section 155 of the Representation of the People Act, 1949 (which, in relation to parliamentary elections, makes provision as to the prosecution of offences committed outside the United Kingdom by British subjects or citizens of the Republic of Ireland) in subsection (I) the words 'so far as it relates to parliamentary elections,' shall be omitted.

(2)"

5.45 p.m.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

I suggest that it would be convenient for the House to discuss at the same time Lords Amendment No. 22.

Amendment No. 17 extends to local government elections in the United Kingdom the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1949 (155) about prosecutions for electoral offences committed outside the United Kingdom. Hitherto the Bill has provided, in Schedule 2(20) for Section 155 to be extended to offences at local government elections in relation only to broadcasts from outside the United Kingdom. Such broadcasts are, by Section 80 of the 1949 Act, illegal in respect of Parliamentary elections; but Clause 9(4) of the Bill extends Section 80 to make it apply to broadcasts from outside the United Kingdom relating to local government elections.

It has been thought advisable to generalise the application of Section 155 of the 1949 Act to all offences at local government elections, rather than to make specific mention only of offences against Section 80, as amended by Clause 9(4).

Amendment No. 22 is consequential on Amendment No. 17.

Question put and agreed to.

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