Overview

This bill, the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill, seeks to increase transparency and regulate various aspects of political activity in the UK, primarily focusing on lobbying, non-party campaigning, and trade union administration. Amendments debated concern the definition of "special advisor" and how to attribute third-party election spending to specific constituencies.

Description

The bill focuses on clarifying and amending existing legislation related to political activity. Key areas of contention and amendment include:

Special Advisers

Amendments debated the inclusion of special advisors within the scope of lobbying regulations. The Commons disagreed with the Lords' amendment to simply add "or special advisor" to existing clauses, preferring a more nuanced approach defining "special advisor" and specifying how communications with them are to be treated.

Third-Party Constituency Expenditure

Significant disagreement arose over how to attribute third-party election spending to specific constituencies. The Lords proposed a more limited definition of "third-party constituency expenditure," focusing on targeted material and phone calls. The Commons disagreed, arguing that a wider range of expenditure should be included to prevent circumvention of spending limits.

Staff Costs

The Lords sought to exclude background staff costs from the definition of "controlled expenditure." The Commons rejected this, maintaining that such costs should be included in the calculation of third-party spending limits.

Government Spending

The bill's direct impact on government spending is not explicitly stated in the provided text. The amendments primarily deal with regulatory changes and definitions, not direct financial allocations. The administrative costs of implementing the changes might increase government spending slightly, but no figures are available.

Groups Affected

• Special Advisers: The amendments directly affect their inclusion in lobbying regulations.
• Third Parties involved in election campaigning: The amendments significantly impact how their spending is calculated and attributed, potentially influencing their campaigning strategies.
• Trade Unions: The bill's title suggests an impact on trade union administration, though details are not provided.
• Government Departments: The bill places responsibilities on government departments for implementing the regulatory changes.
• Political Parties: While not explicitly mentioned, the bill's focus on campaign finance and transparency will likely impact the activities of political parties.

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