Political Parties and Elections Bill

I will now offer my noble friend a break from responding to the Government, as the noble Lord, Lord Bach, has also decided to take a break. I will also take the opportunity to declare my own interest as a former chairman of the Penrith and the Border Conservative Party association, which I think the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, knows well as a fellow resident of the north-west. I do not think that we need to spend long on this amendment, and I welcome the noble Lord’s explanation of its details. All we will say is that any limitation on the power of entry into premises should always be welcomed. It was regrettable that the Government originally thought it necessary to include in this group organisations or individuals formerly falling into the above categories. Therefore we are very grateful that they have been removed, and that there is a slightly smaller number of people into whose premises the commission will have powers of entry.