Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Anas Sarwar Excerpts
Wednesday 4th September 2013

(11 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Chloe Smith Portrait Miss Chloe Smith
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That leading QC’s advice in fact bears out that those concerns exist under the current legislation. Furthermore, we see a great show of displacement activity among Labour Members because they are afraid of some of their friends coming under scrutiny.

Anas Sarwar Portrait Anas Sarwar (Glasgow Central) (Lab)
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T5. Is it not the case that the transparency of lobbying Bill would not stop lobbyist Lynton Crosby advising the Prime Minister on tobacco policy, but could stop an organisation such as Cancer Research UK campaigning about it? Is that acceptable?

Chloe Smith Portrait Miss Smith
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We explained at length yesterday that the Bill would not affect or change the law concerning the political activity of charitable organisations in the sense of when they support, promote or procure electoral outcomes. I am sure that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has answered the first part of the hon. Gentleman’s question too many times to count.