§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to introduce legislation to enable the Welsh Assembly to implement the recommendations of the Neill Committee; and if he will make a statement. [131421]
362W
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons on 20 December 1999 and in the House of Lords on 16 March 2000, will implement the recommendations of the Neill Committee's fifth report on the funding of political parties. The funding of political parties is a reserved matter and the controls on political parties' income and expenditure set out in the Bill will apply throughout the United Kingdom. The Bill, however, contains a number of provisions which relate specifically to the National Assembly. In particular, the Bill enables the Electoral Commission, at the request of the Assembly, to prepare a report on the administration of a poll held under section 36 of the Government of Wales Act 1998 (clause 4(3)); empowers the Assembly to transfer the functions of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales to the Electoral Commission (clause 18); and amends the Government of Wales Act so as to enable the Assembly to make payments to groups of Assembly members to assist them in performing their functions as Assembly members (Paragraph 10(4) of schedule 20). The Government are giving consideration to a request from the First Minister to expedite the commencement of the last of these provisions once the Bill receives Royal Assent.