Clause 7
Political Parties and Elections Bill
4:30 pm
Michael Wills (Minister of State, Ministry of Justice; North Swindon, Labour)
I welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Cook. I am sure that we will benefit from your guidance as we make further progress on this important Bill.
I was responding to the hon. Member for Cambridge, who had referred to the briefing note put out by the Electoral Commission on the relaxation of the political restrictions on commissioners. He was asking, in the spirit of inquiry more than anything else, why we had not followed the commission’s advice.
The Government are aware of what the commission feels about the matter, but I am afraid that our view is different. We take the view of the Committee on Standards in Public Life that continuing with the current 10-year rule for staff is not proportionate or necessary to ensure the impartiality and independence of staff employed by the commission or, more broadly, the commission itself. Obviously, there must be some restrictions. We think that 10 years is too long but five years is about right. It is a matter judgment, and that is our judgment.