Political Parties and Elections Bill

This House will debate this issue, certainly in Committee and, I suspect, on Report. Of course, the House of Commons will debate this issue when the matter returns to it, as it must if these clauses get through. As my noble friend rightly says, these are new clauses introduced in this House. I concede that this is not the usual way of proceeding but, as my noble friend acknowledges, this is an important matter. The Government think this is the appropriate time to introduce these clauses to move towards individual registration, which, if these clauses are passed, will not happen for some years. If we miss this opportunity, individual registration—if that is the right thing to do—will not be in place for many years.