§ Baroness Crawleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What costs relating to the establishment of the Electoral Commission will be met in advance of Royal Assent being given to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill. [HL1742]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam of Brighton)It is in the public interest to ensure that the commission is functioning at the earliest opportunity. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has made clear his wish that it should be up and running by this November. To meet 47WA this tight timetable some costs such as those relating to the recruitment of the Commissioners will necessarily be incurred before Royal Assent.
Parliamentary approval to this service will be sought in a Main Estimate for the Electoral Commission Vote (Class XVIII, C, Vote 1). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £300,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.