Clause 3 - CORE scheme grants
Electoral Administration Bill
11:15 am
David Heath (Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs & Shadow Leader of the House, Law Officers (Constitutional Affairs); Somerton and Frome, Liberal Democrat)
I am not absolutely sure that I should necessarily table an amendment on the effect of the subsection, because the CORE keeper is, by definition, a public body. It is set up by statute and is entirely within the control of the Government. Therefore, any circumstances in which it could go bust or otherwise fail to perform its functions would seem to amount to an indictment of the Department and the Government, rather than anyone else. Does a similar arrangement exist between the Department for Constitutional Affairs or the Treasury? Is it a condition that the Department for Constitutional Affairs should repay its Treasury grant if it fails to meet expectations?