Written questions by Hollinrake.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31951 on Local Government Boundary Commission for England, whether the Local Government Boundary Commission for England has told the Speaker's Committee that it requires resources for formal structural reviews of local authority (i) wards and (ii) boundaries.

The Speaker's Committee plans to hold a public evidence session with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) on 19 March 2025 to consider its draft supply estimate for 2025/26. This session will be made available on Parliament Live.Following the meeting, the Speaker's Committee is expected to publish the explanatory memorandum produced by the Commission explaining the content of its Estimate and justifying proposed funding requests. The Committee is also expected to consider the Commission's new five year corporate plan which outlines the LGBCE's objectives and expenditure plans over the next five years.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to section 94 of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, whether the Electoral Commission has been granted enhanced powers to access Companies House information.

Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, Companies House has powers to share information with individuals and public authorities, including the Electoral Commission, as long as the disclosure aligns with the functions of the receiving public authority and is not in breach of data protection legislation.The Commission has not received information using these powers since the law received Royal Assent in 2023.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, for what reason the Electoral Commission briefing entitled Parliamentary briefing: Political finance rules, sent to hon. Members on 4 March 2025, states that unincorporated associations are not required to check that those who donate to them are permissible.

The Political Parties, Election and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) sets out the permissibility rules for political donations.Unincorporated associations who donate to political parties are required to be permissable donors. However, those who give money to an unincorporated association are not required to be. Unincorporated associations are therefore not required to check that those who donate to them are permissable.The Commission has recommended a change to the law to require unincorporated associations to ensure that any political donations come from permissable donors. This would strengthen the political finance system and provide transparency for voters.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission issues fines to political parties that narrowly miss a reporting deadline.

The Electoral Commission takes enforcement action, including using investigatory powers and sanctions, where it is satisfied that it is necessary and proportionate to do so. Where it is satisfied it can resolve a matter without enforcement action, it will do so. It issues fines for missed reporting deadlines where it is not satisfied it can achieve its regulatory aims though other means.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31952 on Elections: Expenditure, what guidance the Commission has provided on (a) whether a battlebus must be declared as a local candidate expense if the candidate participates in campaigning with the battlebus and (b) the definitions of (i) directing, (ii) encouraging and (iii) authorising the spending.

The Commission has published guidance for parties and candidates on how to distinguish between party and candidate spending, and how to report such spending. The classification of spend on a battlebus visit will depend on whether the spending promotes the party or the candidate.Activity promoting the candidate must be reported on the candidate return if it is authorised by the candidate or qualifies as notional spending. There is a £700 limit on unauthorised spending to promote the candidate, which would be reported on the party return. The Commission’s guidance includes a number of examples of campaign events and how these would be reported.The Commission has also published guidance on the tests for notional spending, including how to identify when an item has been made use of by the candidate or someone on their behalf. Someone can only make use of an item on behalf of the candidate if that use has been directed, authorised, or encouraged by the candidate or their agent.The Commission has not published a specific definition of “directed, authorised, or encouraged”; these terms are interpreted according to their commonplace use.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31952 on Elections: Expenditure, what guidance the Commission has provided on (a) what (i) petrol, (ii) staffing, (iii) coach hire and (iv) other costs of a battlebus should be assigned to local candidate spend and (b) whether this includes travel outside a constituency to the constituency.

The Commission has published guidance for parties and candidates on how to distinguish between party and candidate spending, and how to report such spending. The classification of spend on a battlebus visit will depend on whether the spending promotes the party or the candidate.The Commission’s guidance includes a number of examples of campaign events and how these would be reported.The Commission has published guidance for candidates on transport costs. Reportable transport costs include the costs of transporting volunteers, party members or other campaigners around the electoral area, or to and from the electoral area, where they are undertaking campaigning on behalf of the candidate. This includes the costs of transport hire and fuel.The Commission has also published guidance for candidates on staff costs. Costs for staff directly employed by the party do not count towards party spending limits. However, if staff are provided to a candidate for their campaign, staff costs would need to be reported by the candidate as notional spending.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if he will ask the Electoral Commission to publish (a) invoices and (b) receipts relating to its spending by the Labour Party on its battlebus during the 2024 general election campaign.

The use of a battlebus by the Labour Party was reported in its return submitted to the Electoral Commission in January.The Commission will publish the spending returns for parties and campaigners that spent over £250,000 at the 2024 general election in the coming months.As part of this, it will publish invoices and receipts for any payment over £200, which parties have to submit with the details of their spending.This is an important part of the Commission’s work to provide voters with transparency over the money spent and received at the election.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what information the Electoral Commission holds on official photographic identification for voting held by 16 and 17 year olds.

The Commission does not hold information on photo ID ownership among 16- and 17-year-olds in England. If Parliament changes the franchise to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote, the Commission would expect to carry out further research to understand current levels and types of ID ownership in this group, to inform its work to support newly enfranchised voters to understand the ID requirement.The Commission's estimates of photo ID ownership are based on public opinion surveys, based on samples of adults aged 18+. Its latest research following the UK general election found that 95% of 18-24-year-olds have an accepted form of ID for voting. The Commission has called on the UK government to review the list of accepted forms of ID to identify any additional IDs that could be included to improve accessibility for voters, particularly focusing on forms of ID that would support people who are least likely to have documents on the current list.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what plans the Electoral Commission has to provide a substantive response to the Freedom of Information Act request, reference FOI 137-24, submitted in September 2024.

The Commission responded to the request on 27 February 2025.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 24503 on Political Parties: Finance, whether the Electoral Commission has issued guidance on the permissibility of donations from UK subsidiaries acting as agents for overseas parent companies.

Under electoral law, while most UK companies are permissible donors, if a UK company acted as an agent for a donation by a foreign company, this donation would be impermissible. If a person or organisation makes a donation on behalf of another without disclosing this, they would be committing an offence.The Commission has published guidance on permissable sources and on donations made on behalf of another person or organisation. This states that recipients must take all reasonable steps to identify the true donor and ensure that they are a permissable source.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answers of 23 January 2025, to Questions 25270 and 25269, on Candidates: Expenditure, whether the Electoral Committee has had discussions with (a) the Cabinet Office and (b) the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the issue of (i) notional invoices and (ii) declarations of value of notional spending.

The Commission is not currently discussing notional spending laws with either the Cabinet Office of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.In recent years, the Commission has discussed notional spending with the Cabinet Office and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the UK Government introduced changes to the notional expenditure regime in the Elections Act 2022.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the Electoral Commission's timetable is for the publication of the spending returns for the 2024 General Election by (a) major and (b) minor political parties.

On 13 February, the Commission published the 2024 general election spending returns from political parties and campaigners that spent less the £250,000. The data can be viewed on the Commission's website.The Commission will publish data relating to parties and campaigners that spent over £250,000 in the coming months.This is an important part of its work to provide transparency for voters over the money spent and received at the election.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, for what reason Policy Development Grants will be linked to candidacy from 2025-26; and which political parties responded to the Electoral Commission’s consultation.

The Commission recently consulted Westminster political parties on its proposals to amend the Policy Development Grants Scheme, following eligibility changes after the 2024 UK parliamentary general election.Parties with at least two sitting members in the House of Commons who have taken the oath of allegiance, are eligible to receive a share of the total available £2m grant. All nine parties are eligible for the grant responded consultation. These were: the Conservative and Unionist Party, Demcratic Unionist Party, Green Party of England and Wales, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, Reform UK, Scottish National Party, and Social Democratic and Labour Party.The Commission recommended that the second £1m of the £2m total available grant should continue to be divided into pots for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, based on the proportion of the UK electorate living in each nation. Following consultation and the testing of different thresholds, the Commission also recommended that each nation's pot should then be split equally between the eligible parties that stood candidates in at least 50% of the constituencies in the relevent nation at the most recent UK parliamentary general election. It recommended no change to the existing method of allocating the first £1m of the available grant.The Commission's reasoning was that a 50% threshold would give greater assurance that eligible parties have demonstrated a sufficient connection and commitment to the relevent nation's electorate and a presence within that part of the UK.The Commission wrote to the parties in November to let them know the outcome of the consultation.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 28045 on Local Government Boundary Commission for England, whether additional resources will be provided to the Local Boundary Commission for England in the context of the Government’s plans for local government restructuring in England.

The Speaker’s Committee has a statutory role to review the annual estimates of resources of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). It also considers the organisation’s five-year plan at the start of a Parliament.As part of the process, the LGBCE submits a draft estimate and five-year plan to the Committee for consideration. In turn the Committee consults the Treasury on these and has regard to any advice the Treasury gives.Ahead of the new financial year, the Committee is holding a public session with the LGBCE to consider its position. The Committee will then decide whether it is satisfied that the estimated level of income and expenditure requested is consistent with the economical, efficient and effective discharge by the Commission of its functions. If the Committee were not so satisfied, it would make modifications to the estimate as it considers appropriate for the purpose of achieving such consistency.As part of this year’s review the Committee will need to assess whether the LGBCE has the appropriate level of provision to ensure it has the capacity and expertise to respond to requests for assistance in the context of the Government’s plans for local government restructuring in England.The Committee is planning to meet the LGBCE next on 19 March 2025 and it will then take a decision on whether to lay the main estimate for financial year 2025/26 before the House of Commons for approval.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many times the Parliamentary Parties Panel has met since February 2024.

The Westminster Parliamentary Parties Panel meets four times a year, but it can meet more or less often if it needs to. It met in February, September and December 2024, and again in February 2025.The scheduled June 2024 meeting was cancelled due to the UK parliamentary general election.The minutes from previous meetings are available to view on the Committee's website.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the status is of the Electoral Commission's investigation into the donation from the Foundation for European Progressive Studies to the Fabian Society; and what guidance the Electoral Commission has issued on the permissibility of donations through the European Parliament's programme for European political parties and European political foundations for UK (a) political parties, (b) regulated donees and (c) member associations.

The Electoral Commission is currently considering the matter in line with its regulatory remit. It does not have an investigation open.The Commission has not published specific guidance on the permissibility of the programme mentioned. The Commission's guidance for political parties and regulated donees, including members associations, provides a list of permissible sources for donations.Its guidance states that donations towards members association's political activities within their party can only come from permissible sources. These activities include promoting or developing policies with a view to their adoption by the party.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if he will list the enforcement cases in relation to foreign donors channelling funds through UK-registered corporate bodies on which the Electoral Commission has made a ruling in the last ten years.

Information on all concluded investigations dating back to April 2020 is listed on the Commission's website. Information on investigations which concluded prior to April 2020 can be found using the National Archives website.The Commission's guidance sets out which donors are permissible. If a company is registered at Companies House, incorporated in the UK, and 'carrying on business' in the UK, it can donate to a UK political party or campaigner.However, it is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false declaration about the true origin of a donation. If a donor was to mislead a political party as to the true source of the donation to evade permissibility requirements then they could be committing an offence. Any investigation would fall within the remit of the police, not the Electoral Commission.Companies do not currently need to show that they have made enough money in the UK to fund their donations. Since 2013, the Commission has recommended changes to ensure parties cannot accept money from companies that have not made enough in the UK to fund their donation or loan.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 24499 on Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission: Social Media, whether the Electoral Commission plans to issue guidance to (a) political parties and (b) non-party campaigners on this matter.

The Commission does not currently have plans to publish specific guidance on the manipulation of social media algorithms.Its guidance on donations and on non-party campaigning may be applicable to situations where a party or candidate is intentionally favoured by a social media platform's algorithm. The Commission is currently doing more work in this area to identify any key considerations for how the law is applied in practice.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission had discussions with Leicestershire Police on (a) electoral fraud and (b) the issuing of unauthorised and anonymous literature during the 2024 General Election.

As part of its work to support the police, the Commission has provided advice to Leicestershire Police in relation to its enquiries into complaints about campaign literature distributed without an imprint at the 2024 UK Parliamentary general election.The police are responsible for enforcing imprints laws on candidate literature.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has issued to political (a) parties, (b) agents and (c) candidates on the (i) use of battlebuses in regulated election period and (ii) circumstances in which their use should be declared as a local candidate expense.

The Commission has published guidance for parties and candidates and agents on spending by the party to promote a candidate during the candidate regulated period.The guidance sets out how to identify whether an activity promotes a candidate, and if so, how this should be reported. In most cases, activity promoting a candidate must be reported on the candidate return, either as notional spending or as spending authorised by the candidate. In the case of a battlebus visit, this will depend on the content of the event and the role of the candidate or agent in directing, encouraging, or authorising the spending.