§ 3.4 p.m.
§ Lord STRABOLGIMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Wells-Pestell, I beg to move that the Order of Commitment be discharged.
§ Moved, That the Order of Commitment be discharged.—(Lord Strabolgi.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ Then, Standing Order No. 43 having been suspended, pursuant to Resolution:
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a third time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 3a—(Lord Wells-Pestell.)
Viscount LONGMy Lords, during the Second Reading debate I mentioned that candidates' expenses would be paid in cash. I ought to correct myself by saying that, as laid down in the Bill itself, they will in fact be allowed expenses only up to a certain figure, and not cash down on the nail, as I thought I saw in the Bill. Secondly, I should like to thank the noble Lord and say how grateful I am to him for assisting me and your Lordships with all the information that he gave us during the Second Reading debate. Other than that, I do not think that we on this side of the House need hold up the Bill any longer.
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Viscount for making that comment and observation because it has been, and is, often felt by some people that these are expenses paid to candidates out of public funds. This is not so. It is an amount which has been fixed for different types of election in which the candidates can spend up to that particular amount. This confusion, I know, does arise in the minds of some people.
§ On Question, Bill read 3a, and passed.