DEPOSIT BY CANDIDATES AT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS (Hansard, 13 February 1985)

The Second Deputy Chairman

With this, we may take the following amendments: No. 70, in page 16, line 6, leave out '£1,000' and insert `£500 or such amount as the Secretary of State may by order determine; no order shall be made under this section unless a draft of it has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament'. No. 52, in page 16, line 9, leave out 'one twentieth' and insert 'one tenth'.

No. 85, in page 16, line 9, leave out 'one twentieth' and add 'three fortieths'.

New clause 7 —Abolition of deposit and increase in number of nominations— '(1) In Schedule 1 of the principal Act, paragraph 9 ("Deposit") shall cease to have effect; (2) In paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 1 in the principal Act, for the word "eight" there shall be substituted "at least one hundred".'. New clause 8—Nomination papers— 'In Schedule 1 to the principal Act paragraph 7(2) shall cease to have effect.'. 417 New clause 11—Exemption from deposit— 'In Schedule 1 to the Principal Act (Parliamentary elections rules shall be added a new rule 1013 (8A) A candidate shall be exempted from the requirement of depositing a sum with the returning officer provided that he is the nominated candidate of a registered political party as defined in the Schedule (Registered Political Parties)".'. New clause 23—Conditions for nomination— 'Schedule 1 to the principal Act shall be amended by substituting for rules 9 and 53 the following rule— A nomination shall not be valid unless it is signed by 500 electors of the Division for which that nomination is made; the nomination shall remain valid notwithstanding a margin of error in the number of five per cent.; and any such nomination may be presented for checking by the returning officer during a period of six months prior to the date of a parliamentary election".'. Amendment No. 65—new schedule—