Commentary on Sections Regulation of loans Section 62 Regulation of loans: power to make provision for candidates, third parties and referendums
370.Section 62 confers on the Secretary of State an order making power to extend the loans regime to three further contexts where the 2000 Act regulates political donations.
371.Those three contexts are as follows (subsection (2)):
	Candidates at elections (within the meaning of Part 2 of the 1983 Act). Donations to such candidates, for the purpose of meeting their election expenses, are regulated on a similar but not identical basis to donations to political parties (by Schedule 2A to 1983 Act; inserted by the 2000 Act, section 130, Schedule 16).
	Recognised third parties at national election campaigns. Controls are imposed on persons or bodies who engage in political campaigning at national election campaigns by Part 6 of the 2000 Act (the elections in question are those set out in section 22(5) of the 2000 Act). Donations to recognised third parties (within the meaning of sections 85(5), 88 of the 2000 Act), for the purpose of meeting expenditure incurred in such campaigning, are regulated on a similar but not identical basis to donations to political parties (the 2000 Act, section 95, Schedule 11).
	Permitted participants at referendums. Controls are imposed on expenses incurred in campaigning in referendums by Part 7 of the 2000 Act. Donations to persons permitted to participate in referendums, for the purposes of meeting referendum expenses, are regulated on a similar but not identical basis to donations to political parties (the 2000 Act, section 119, Schedule 15).
372.Subsection (1) provides that the provision made by the order must correspond to or be similar to the provision made in the loans regime (in the new Part 4A of, and Schedule 7A to, the 2000 Act; as inserted by section 61 of, and Part 6 of Schedule 1 to, this Act respectively). The provision must be made in relation to a relevant matter, which is a loan, credit facility or security which benefits a candidate, a recognised third party or a permitted participant.
373.Further provision about the scope of, and limitations imposed on, this power is contained in subsection (3).
374.Subsection (7) provides that an order made under this power is subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.