Electoral Administration Bill

moved Amendment No. 69: Page 118, line 30, at end insert— "In section 3 (appointment of Electoral Commissioners and Commission chairman), in subsection (4)(d) after sub-paragraph (iii) insert ", or (iv) been named as a participant in the register of recordable transactions reported under Part 4A."" The noble Baroness said: My Lords, I shall also speak to Amendments Nos. 70, 71, 73 and 74. This group of amendments makes minor consequential amendments to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to reflect the introduction of the new regime for regulated transactions. Amendment No. 69 will exclude those people who have made loans to political parties from being eligible to be electoral commissioners. That mirrors the situation that applies to donations. Amendment No. 70 adds new Part 4A of PPERA to the responsibilities of the treasurer of a registered party. It does that through an amendment to Section 24(4)(a) of PPERA, and Amendment No. 71 does the same to the responsibilities of the treasurer of an accounting unit through an amendment to Section 27(2)(a). Amendment No. 73 amends both Sections 146 and 148 of PPERA. In Section 146, which covers the supervisory powers of the commission, the amendment extends its powers to inspect records relating to loans. Section 148 deals with general offences, and the amendment changes the definition of "supervised individual", "relevant person" and "regulated donee" to include "regulated participants" or those involved with giving loans to political parties. Amendment No. 74 sets out that an electoral commissioner shall cease to hold office if he is named as a participant in the register of recordable transactions—that is, if he gives a loan to a political party. I beg to move. On Question, amendment agreed to.