Northern Ireland (Variation of Limits of Candidates' Election Expenses) Order 1981 (Hansard, 3 February 1981)

§ Lord Elton
My Lords, I beg to move that the Northern Ireland (Variation of Limits of Candidates' Election Expenses) Order 1981, a draft of which was laid before the House on 19th January, be approved. The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments has considered the order and has made no comment on it.
The order seeks to increase the maximum amount which may be spent by candidates contesting district council elections in Northern Ireland. The increase will compensate for inflation since March 1977 when the rates were last fixed. The current limits of £72 plus 1.5p per registered elector in the district electoral area will be increased to £110 plus 2.3p per elector. In percentage terms this will mean an increase of just over 53 per cent., which is closely in line with the increase in the general level of prices since 1977. These, of course, are limits on expenditure by candidates and public funds are not involved.
My Lords, I commend to you this limited but important measure, which will ensure that candidates in the local general elections in May can effectively put their case before the electorate. I beg to move.

§ Lord Blease
My Lords, we on this side of the House agree with the principle involved in taking care of inflation. The one question I would ask is: Is the order consistent with the regulations governing the expenses for local government elections in Great Britain?

§ Lord Hampton
My Lords, I did not quite catch what the noble Lord, Lord Blease, asked, but I should be grateful if the noble Lord would explain whether this is any different from the rest of the United Kingdom—I beg your Lordships' pardon; I realise that is what the noble Lord, Lord Blease, said.

§ Lord Elton
My Lords, I am grateful to both noble Lords for giving me time to discover the answer to that question. The limits in Northern Ireland are not the same as those which apply in local authority elections in Great Britain. The reason can be found in the differences in the size of electoral areas and in the 1112 proportional representation system of elections, which give rise to that increase in area. These factors are bound to affect the level of expenses which candidates need to incur. However, as in Great Britain, the limits are raised in line with changes in the value of money, so that the rate of rise is pari passu. Therefore, I think that the answer to the question of whether these rises are consistent is "yes" As to whether they are the same, the answer is "no".

Viscount Long
My Lords, I beg to move that this House do now adjourn during pleasure until eight o'clock.