Electoral Administration Bill

moved Amendment No. 36:"Page 5, line 26, leave out subsection (10)." The noble Lord said: Clause 5(10), which the amendment seeks to delete, states:"““Subject to anything in the CORE scheme . . . a CORE keeper may make such arrangements as he thinks appropriate with any other person for the provision of any service relating to the exercise of his functions under this Part or the CORE scheme””." Again, this is a probing amendment to see under what circumstances that might happen. Do the Government really intend that this might just be a case of employing people to do ancillary jobs or is it anticipated that the CORE keeper might subcontract a substantial part of, for example, the whole computer operation to another body? Elections, electoral registration and the whole electoral process are such an important and sensitive part of our democracy that if it were to be seen that substantial parts were being ““privatised””, there would be very great concern. I hope that the Minister will provide some assurances that that is not intended—and if it is not intended, why does the legislation suggest that it could happen? I beg to move.