Political Parties and Elections Bill

I beg to move,"That the period on the expiry of which proceedings on the Political Parties and Elections Bill shall lapse in pursuance of paragraph (13) of Standing Order No. 80A shall be extended by 15 weeks until 29 October 2009." The House will be aware that because this is a carry-over Bill, which was introduced on 17 July 2008, it will fall if it does not receive Royal Assent before 17 July 2009. It should receive Royal Assent before that date, or before the House rises for the recess at the very latest. However, it is only prudent for us to take precautions to ensure that it will endure in the event of parliamentary timetabling—which is always strained at this point in the Session—making it impossible for it to complete its passage within that time frame. The extension motion is intended to ensure that the life of the Bill—an important Bill that has spent some time in the House already—will continue beyond 17 July this year if that is necessary for the effective timetabling of parliamentary business. The motion in no way reflects any lessening of the Government's determination to put the Bill on to the statute book as soon as possible—I hope that Members in all parts of the House will agree on that—but it is only right for us to make provision for all future possibilities.