Political Parties: Funding

My Lords, the noble Lord is right. This issue goes way beyond loans. That is why we have asked a respected independent figure, Sir Hayden Phillips, to look right across the board at the question of party funding. The issues are much more than just about loans; they are about donations, and relationships with donors and organisations that support the parties. We have never stopped our policy of being as transparent as the law requires. A new legal framework is required.