Political Parties and Elections Bill

I understand my right hon. Friend's point, which we have discussed outside the House. If he would not mind waiting a little, I shall deal with that issue a little later; I hope to reassure him and the House. In a highly critical conclusion in its 2007 report, the Committee on Standards in Public Life stated:"““An effective Electoral Commission is a necessary and vital part of the modern institutional architecture. Its core duties should be as a regulator to ensure integrity and public confidence in the electoral process and in the framework that governs the political party funding and campaign expenditure. Through a combination of deficiencies in its current mandate, that is too weak in some areas and too broad in others, combined with a lack of courage, competence and leadership in its regulatory and advisory approach, it has not successfully performed these core duties…The Committee has therefore made a range of recommendations designed to refocus the mandate of the Commission on these two core duties and to provide the framework that will enable it to deliver this mandate successfully.””"