Representation of the People (Variation of Limits of Candidates' Election Expenses) Order 1987 (Hansard, 12 May 1987)

§ Lord Beaverbrook

My Lords, I beg to move that the draft order laid before the House on 7th May be 607 approved. It has been considered by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, which has made no comment on it.

I do not intend to detain your Lordships long in seeking your support for this measure which will benefit candidates at all future parliamentary and local government elections. The amount of money a candidate may spend on the conduct or management of an election is presently restricted by Sections 76 and 197 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, as amended by the Representation of the People (Variation of Limits of Candidates' Election Expenses) Order 1986. Articles 2, 3, 5 and 6 of this order are intended to increase the current limits at parliamentary elections in the United Kingdom, local government elections in Great Britain and ward elections in the City of London in line with changes in the value of money since the last order was made on 1st March 1986. Articles 4 and 7 will provide a corresponding increase of 5.6 per cent. for candidates at ILEA elections and elections by liverymen in common hall to take account of the increase in the retail price index since they were fixed on 16th July 1985 by the Local Government Act 1985 and the Representation of the People Act 1985 respectively.

Article 1 provides for the order to take effect on the day after the day on which it is made. This is in keeping with past practice and will enable parliamentary candidates in constituencies with, say, 60,000 electors to spend an extra £190 above the current maximum of £4,920 in borough constituencies and £5,460 in county constituencies at the next general election. It will also enable candidates who are in the midst of a campaign at a local government, ILEA or City of London election to fill a casual vacancy to incur expenditure to the new limits set by Articles 4 to 7 of the order. It will not, however, retrospectively authorise expenses in excess of the present limits which have been incurred before it takes effect.

Consideration was given last autumn to the possible need to increase the limits at local elections in time for this year's elections on 7th May. However, no representations for such an increase had been made and there was nothing to suggest that the increase in the retail price index since 1st March 1986 would be sufficienty large to justify making an order at that time. Indeed, it was subsequently confirmed that the index only rose by 1.8 per cent. between that date and 31st October 1986. We accordingly decided to take no action on that occasion.

In April, however, the Home Secretary decided to increase the limits at parliamentary elections by 4 per cent. to take account of inflation between March 1986 and 31st March 1987 because of a general expectation that those limits would be increased before the next general election. He also decided that, although such an order clearly could not be made in time for the local elections on 7th May, it would still be desirable to increase the limits for local government, ILEA elections and City of London elections at the same time to benefit candidates at elections to fill casual vacancies and ordinary elections held after that date.

I should also stress that the making of this order will not preclude the making of another one for next year's 608 local elections, should this be necessary to allow the candidates to conduct an effective campaign. I therefore recommend these proposals to the House.

§ Lord Underhill

My Lords, this is a sensible order, which we approve. I assume that it has been subject to the usual consultation with the other political parties. It might be of interest to your Lordships to know that, as I notice there is a reference to increased expenses for parliamentary elections, it reminded me that early this year I received an appeal to subscribe to the funds of the constituency parties for the Conservative Party's general election expenses and to join in a campaign to get a capital fund going in order to build up the Conservative fighting fund. The letter was from an investment trust, the chairman and chief executive, and it said that no doubt we shared the same views in the same circumstances etc. I should like to inform the House that this in no way implies that I failed in my duties as Deputy Leader of the Opposition, and I am looking forward on 12th June to the best possible golden wedding present of a Labour victory.