§ Viscount Astor rose to move, That the draft regulations and orders laid before the House on 14th, 17th 19th and 21st February be approved [14th Report from the Joint Committee].
§ The noble Viscount said: My Lords, I shall be brief. These draft regulations and orders are straightforward and uncontroversial, and I hope not to detain the House too long in consideration of them today.
§ The draft Representation of the People (Amendment) Regulations amend regulation 64 of the Representation of the People Regulations 1986 to take account of changes made by the Disability Living Allowance and Disability Working Allowance Act 1991.
§ The draft European Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Regulations perform two different functions. First, they apply the provisions of the draft regulations which I have just described and which cover only parliamentary and local elections to cover European parliamentary elections as well. Secondly, they apply for the purposes of European parliamentary elections certain technical changes made by the Representation of the People Act 1991 concerning the recovery of returning officers' charges at parliamentary elections. They also apply to European parliamentary elections the provisions of the Transfer of Functions (Returning Officers' Charges) Order 1991 which transferred the functions of the Treasury in connection with such charges to the home departments.
1131§ The draft European Parliamentary Elections (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations perform the same two functions in respect of Northern Ireland.
§ Finally, the draft Representation of the People (Variation of Limits of Candidates' Election Expenses) Order increases the limits on candidates' election expenses at parliamentary and local government elections throughout the United Kingdom to take account of inflation.
§ I commend these draft regulations and orders to the House. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the draft regulations and orders laid before the House on 14th, 17th 19th and 21st February be approved [14th Report from the Joint Committee].—(Viscount Astor.)
§ Lord UnderhillMy Lords, the House will readily understand the brevity of the noble Viscount's introduction of the orders. However, they are important and one should say a few words about them. That is part of our democratic process. I divide the contents of the orders into three parts. The first is the technical changes to which the noble Viscount referred in respect of the recovery of the recovery officers' charges in certain elections. The second is the change relating to absent voters. All noble Lords will appreciate any improvement in the provision for absent voting. In this case account is taken of the new disability living allowance.
I am sorry that I did not acquaint the noble Viscount in advance with these questions. In the absence of a reference number which applies to the mobility allowance, will there be attestation of an application to be made for this new order? We are now making quite clear in the orders that the new living allowance will not have a reference number whereas previously there was a reference number. The order says that despite having no reference number there will be no problem. But will that mean that there must be attestation?
The other important change is the increase in parliamentary and local government election expenses. I have calculated that that is a 4.5 per cent. increase all round. That seems reasonable. I should like to know whether there has been general consultation with the political parties on this matter. We give all the orders our full approval.
§ Lord Boyd-CarpenterMy Lords, I believe that in the European context my noble friend referred to the transfer of certain functions from the Treasury to the Home Office. Will he explain to the House what those functions are and why they are being transferred?
Viscount AstorMy Lords, as regards the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Underhill, I understand that instructions will be sent out containing all the necessary information.
I should say to my noble friend Lord Boyd-Carpenter that there have been consultations between the two departments and elsewhere. It was decided that the functions were best joined to the specific home departments.
§ Lord Boyd-CarpenterMy Lords, my noble friend has not said what the functions are.
Viscount AstorMy Lords, the functions are for the recovery of returning officers' charges at parliamentary elections. Those functions are to be transferred from the Treasury to the Home Office.
On Question, Motion agreed to.