Further written evidence to be reported to the House
Political Parties and Elections Bill
1:00 pm
Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield, Conservative)
Before I welcome our distinguished guests this afternoon, I want to say a few words to the Committee. Before we begin to take evidence, I would like to respond, briefly but fully, to a point raised in Committee by Mr. Reid on Tuesday and again, informally, this morning by Mr. Duddridge. Mr. Reid drew attention to the short time between the end of the evidence sessions and the deadline for the tabling of amendments for Tuesday’s sittings, and asked whether starred amendments might be selected.
My co-Chairmen and I appreciate that there is limited time before the rise of the House this evening, but the decision to structure the Committee’s time in this way was taken by the Programming Sub-Committee and I remind the Committee that it was done so after considerable discussion. The programme motion was approved by this Committee on Tuesday morning, when one of my co-Chairmen was in the Chair. It was in the gift of the Committee to provide itself with a bigger gap after the evidence sessions. The deadlines for the tabling of amendments are there for the benefit of all Committee members, who need sufficient time to consider the amendments before they are debated.
I also note that the issues discussed in the evidence sessions so far are not entirely new. The views of the Electoral Commission, for example, and two of our three distinguished academics have already been submitted in written evidence to the Committee. In such circumstances, and in line with existing practice in Public Bill Committees, I can confirm that my fellow Chairmen and I do not intend to select starred amendments. That is my statement; if Mr. Duddridge wishes to rise on a point of order, I am happy for him to do so, but he should remain seated, so that his voice can be picked up by the microphone.