§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 6 November 2000,Official Report, column 111W, on the electoral register, (a) what mechanisms will be put in place to enable political parties, the Electoral Commission and others to verify that political donations from individuals are 529W permissible donations between the commencement of the provisions of Part IV of Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill and the establishment of the central record of electors in October 2001 and how it is intended that such donations are to be verified as permissible to the standard required by the Bill, (b) for what reasons it was decided not to proceed with the interim solution previously proposed by his Department, when the decision was made and what consultations there have been with political parties about that decision (i) before its being made and (ii) subsequently, (c) what discussions there have been with political parties about the costs incurred and new administrative arrangements to be put in place as a result of the decision not to proceed with the interim solution; what estimate has been made of the total costs arising for (i) political parties represented in the House and (ii) other political parties; and if such costs are expected to exceed the level of additional expenditure on start up costs announced on 21 November and (d) for what reasons it has not been possible to establish a central record since the publication of Cm 4413; when it was decided by his Department that such a central record would be required; and if he will make a statement. [140667]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Government will be making regulations under the Representation of the People Act 2000 to allow registered political parties and others to obtain copies of the electoral registers free of charge.
We have always recognised that complying with the provisions of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill will involve the commitment of resources by parties, but we have not received any detailed information from the majority of the political parties about the costs to them of checking donations against the registers.
We have also recognised the need to make access to the electoral registers easier so as to facilitate compliance with the Bill. The Improvement and Development Agency was asked in April to look at ways of doing so. Pursuant to a reply given on 6 November, we placed a paper in the Library which proposed a solution. The solution proposed is, however, a significant IT project and it cannot be ready before October 2001.
We therefore considered, in addition, whether an interim solution was possible. But we concluded on 17 November that there was none available which could be relied upon or which would give value for money. This conclusion was announced as quickly as possible in the debate in Another Place on the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill on 21 November 2000, Official Report, House of Lords, columns 696–97.
We also announced that, to further assist parties with checking the registers at the outset, we intended to increase by £200,000 the sum available under the Bill to help with start-up costs. The Bill has now been amended accordingly.