Written questions by Cleverly.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has undertaken an Impact Assessment analysis of its own proposal that a company’s profit should be used as the measure of its UK earnings, rather than revenue; and whether the Electoral Commission has assessed whether specific political parties would be adversely affected by such a change to political finance law.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 121726.

Whether the Electoral Commission will ensure that all polling stations in the May 2026 local elections display visible posters on the secrecy of the ballot and the associated offences under the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 121725.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if the Electoral Commission will ensure that polling stations in the May 2026 local elections display visible posters on the secrecy of the ballot and associated offences under the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023.

Electoral law prescribes which official notices must be displayed in polling stations. This includes the ‘guidance for voters’ notice which explains that voting is secret and voters should not let anyone see how they have voted. The Commission’s guidance for electoral administrators and polling station handbook explain where and how these notices must be displayed.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the Electoral Commission publication, Understanding the Representation of the People Bill, updated March 2026, whether the Electoral Commission has made an assessment of the potential impact of its proposal that a company’s profit should be used as the measure of its earnings on political parties.

The Electoral Commission has long called for reforms that ensure that only companies that make enough money in the UK can donate to political parties. It has recommended using profit as the measure that would more effectively prevent foreign money from entering the system, by providing the strongest guarantee that donations by a company can only be from money made in the UK.In developing its recommendation, the Commission considered the potential impact on the integrity and sustainability of political party funding, as well as the impact on the ability of legitimate companies to participate in the UK's democratic processes.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if the Electoral Commission will review its guidance in the Polling Station Handbook on providing official notices in written languages other than English, Welsh and Braille.

The Electoral Commission's handbook states that the Returning Officer can provide written instructions in alternative languages or formats for use in the polling station depending on requirements within the community.The Commission reviews its guidance regularly and makes updates in light of evidence from its post poll research, engagement with the electoral community and legislative change.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has identified local authority areas of higher risk of electoral fraud in the May 2026 elections.

The Commission reviews a range of information across all local authorities to help assess the risk of electoral fraud, including police data on allegations of electoral fraud and areas where concerns have previously been raised. This information is used to inform how and where the Commission targets additional support.It is working closely with the electoral community, including local authorities and the police, to prevent, detect and act against electoral fraud ahead of the May 2026 elections.Since 2018, the Commission has run a public awareness campaign “Your Vote is Yours Alone” in partnership with Crimestoppers. The campaign highlights what constitutes electoral fraud and empowers people to protect their vote and report any concerns. It targets specific areas based on a series of factors, including allegations of electoral fraud reported to the police.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether Scottish Limited Liability Partnerships are deemed to be companies for the purposes of its guidance on corporate donations.

Limited Liability Partnerships which carry on business in the UK are permissible donors. Scottish limited partnerships are not permissible company donors. Permissible company donors must be registered under the Companies Act 2006. Scottish limited partnerships are registered under the Limited Partnerships Act 1907.The Commission has previously recommended that the law be amended to clarify that Scottish limited partnerships are permissible donors.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, further to the Interministerial Group for Elections and Registration Communique: 30 October 2025, 10 December 2025, what is the timetable for the Electoral Commission to complete its evaluation of the Welsh automatic registration pilots.

The Commission published its evaluation of the Welsh automatic registration pilots on 15 December 2025.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment has the Electoral Commission made of the capacity of local authority EROs to organise council elections in May 2026 in the areas which were initially cancelled by the Government but have now been re-scheduled for May 2026; and what estimate has it made of the increased administrative costs from the cancellation and re-scheduling.

The Commission welcomed the certainty that all scheduled local elections will go ahead in May 2026. The Commission has contacted all affected local authorities to offer assistance and any additional support, working with them to address any immediate challenges.Funding for the delivery of local elections is a matter for local authorities and Returning Officers, who would have made individual planning decisions regarding the funding to support the delivery of the polls.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the Explanatory Memorandum to the Local Authorities (Changes to Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order 2026, para 5.8, if he will publish the representation to MHCLG from the Electoral Commission.

The Commission’s correspondence to the Secretary of State is available on its website. In it the Commission makes clear its view that scheduled elections should go ahead as planned, and only be postponed in exceptional circumstances.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the risks of impermissible donations being made through high-volume repeated donations through cryptocurrency in a series of below £500 transactions.

Individual payments of £500 or less are not treated in law as a donation, so recipients are not required to identify the donor or check that they are a permissible source for donations.The Commission has highlighted that there are some existing safeguards in law. Attempting to evade the restrictions on permissibility is a criminal offence, and the Commission advises parties to be vigilant to attempts to do so, such as repeated payments of £500 from the same source.However, the Commission has raised the possibility of AI being used to facilitate split payments and conceal the source which would increase the risk from these smaller payments. The Commission is engaging with parties to seek information about their approach to these payments. It has recently published interim guidance on cryptocurrency donations, and will publish further guidance later this year.The Commission has also published updated guidance on crowdfunding to ensure that parties understand how the law applies to donations raised through crowdfunding campaigns and can choose a platform that will support them to comply with the law.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what discussions has the Electoral Commission had with (a) the Metropolitan Police and (b) Defending Democracy Taskforce on whether police officers should be stationed by polling stations for the councillor and mayoral elections in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in May 2026.

The Commission has regular conversations with the Metropolitan Police and the Defending Democracy Taskforce about electoral security.It has met regularly with the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Enquiries Team ahead of elections in London in May 2026. It has discussed the stationing of police officers at polling stations, including in Tower Hamlets. It will continue to engage ahead of polling day.The Presiding Officer is responsible for the security of the polling station. The Commission provides advice to polling station staff on how and when to engage with police on security or electoral integrity matters.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, further to the research published by Democracy Volunteers, what discussions he has had with Manchester City Council on compliance with the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 in the Gorton and Denton Parliamentary by-election; and if the Commission will make it their policy to undertake an assessment of the Electoral Registration Officer's compliance with Performance Standard Outcome 1 on the delivery of well-run elections.

The Electoral Commission was in close contact with the Returning Officer (RO) to quickly and carefully review the concerns that have been raised and the information available in relation to the by-election.The Commission considers the performance of ROs in their delivery of elections through the performance standards framework. The Commission will make any assessment in relation to this by-election in due course.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has issued to Electoral Registration Officers on enforcing the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023.

The right to vote in secret is set out in UK electoral law. The Electoral Commission’s position, outlined in guidance to electoral administrators, has always been that anyone attempting to inappropriately influence how another person votes, or to steal someone else’s vote, is committing an offence.The Electoral Commission’s guidance is clear that no other person is allowed to accompany a voter to a polling booth, unless a voter who is disabled or unable to read has requested assistance to vote. The Commission’s polling station handbook, which is available in every polling station, sets out that if polling station staff observe anyone else attempting to accompany a voter in the voting booth, they must approach them and tell them not to. If anyone does not comply with this instruction, the Presiding Officer has the power to order their removal from the polling station, either by the police or other authorised person. In all cases, a record should also be made in the polling station log.This guidance was updated to reflect the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 and as part of our regular programme of reviewing and improving guidance for polling station staff.