Written questions by Hollinrake.

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, pursuant to the Answers of 23 January 2025 to Questions 25270 and 25269 on Candidates: Expenditure, if he will publish any (a) guidance and (b) advice provided by the Electoral Commission on (i) notional invoices and (ii) declarations of value of notional spending.

No invoice is required for notional spending; the legal requirement is to make a declaration of the value of the notional spending in the return. To avoid confusion, the Commission does not refer to "notional invoices" in its guidance , and this term does not appear in legislation.The Commission has published guidance on valuing notional spending. This states that candidates should make an honest and reasonable assessment of the value of the goods or services they are receiving. In practice, most parties and candidates include additional information about the nature of the spending, in case it is queried following the election. The Commission offers advice to all parties and candidates in response to their queries, in line with its published guidance.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what discussions the Electoral Commission has had with Lancashire Police on electoral law matters relating to Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency during the 2024 General Election campaign.

Lancashire Police have confirmed they are investigating a complaint regarding a candidate's election expenses. As part of its work to support the police, the Commission has respondeded to requests for advice from Lancashire Police in relation to this matter.Candidate election offences are enforced by the police, and the Commission has no powers to investigate in this area.

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, 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, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the potential impact of lowering the voting age on the administration of elections.

The Electoral Commission is engaging with the Government as it brings forward proposals to implement the manifesto commitment to give 16 and 17 year-olds the right to vote. The Commission is providing paractical advice on how any changes to the franchise can be implemented, as it has done for similar changes in Scotland and Wales.Once the change is made, the Commission will update its guidance for administrators to assist them to understand and deliver the new registration eligibility. Electoral Registration Officers would then work locally to support the registration and participation of this new group of voters.The Commission has said that changes to the franchise need to be implemented in a way that carefully manages the pressures on election teams, and that any changes to electoral legislation should be clear at least six months before they are due to be implemented or complied with by voters and electoral administrators.The Commission will also undertake public awareness work to ensure all newly enfranchised voters know how to register, and have the information and confidence to take part. It is already working to ensure that young people hace access to impartial education about democracy and elections, and is partnering with a range of organisations to support under-registered groups.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 22034 on Candidates: Expenditure, whether the Commission has given unpublished advice on the use of notional invoices for paid-for campaigning in election expense returns in cases where multiple elections are held concurrently in the last three years.

The Electoral Commission offers advice to all candidates and parties in reponse to their queries and in line with its published guidance. For notional spending, the law states that no invoice is required in a candidate return. The Commission advises that additional information about the nature of the spending could be included to show that the value declared is accurate.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, on what topics the Commission has (a) open consultations (i) through the Parliamentary Parties Panel and (ii) generally and (b) consultations that are closed but not yet had a response.

The Electoral Commission has no open consultations with the Parliamentary Parties Panel, and no consultations that are closed but have not yet been concluded.The Commission hold regular discussions with the Westminster Parliamentary Parties Panel, and each of the devolved panels, on its work and guidance. It is an important forum to gather feedback and views from political parties who provide expert insight on how the law is applied in practise and their experiences at elections.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 22034 on Candidates: Expenditure, whether such notional invoices need to provide detail on (a) how items have been split between different candidates and (b) which individual suppliers were used and at what cost.

There is no leal requirement for an invoice for notional spending where it is reported in a candidate return. The requirement is for agents to make a declaration of the value of the notional spending. However, additional information about the nature of the spending could be included to show that the value declared accurately represents the services received and used by the campaign. This could include how the items have been split between different candidates and the costs of individual suppliers.This information may be included with the return in a notional invoice from the party or any other organisation providing the items. If a return does not include evidence for the value of notional spending, and there is a question about its accuracy, the police, may need to seek this information through an investigation, to ensure that the amount decared is accurate.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what plans the Commission has to consult on changes to electoral (a) law, (b) practice, (c) guidance and (d) policy in 2025.

The Electoral Commission develops guidance in consultation with electoral administrators and parties and campaigners, to ensure it is clear and meets their needs. The Commission has upcoming statutory consultations on the new digital imprint guidance in Scotland, non-party campaigner Code of Practise in Scotland, and candidate, party, and non-party campaigner Codes in Wales. It is also planning to run a consultation on guidance around accessibility measures in elections.Consultations on legislative changes, such as electoral law, are a matter for the Government. It is important that relevent stakeholders are properly consulted to ensure any changes are workable. The Commission is currently engaging with the UK Government on its manifesto commitments around electoral policy, and will consult on any necessary changes to its guidance arising from those legislative changes.The Commission also develops its own policy proposals based on it experience of overseeing and regulating elections. It gathers data on experiences of voters, electoral administrators and campaigners at each election, and has regular discussions with the electoral community, governments, and other regulators on how the law could be updated or practice improved.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the oral answer of 15 January 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Columns 1123-1124, on Political Parties: Funding, what guidance the Commission has issued on whether (a) Russian, (b) Iranian and (c) Chinese citizens can donate to UK (i) political parties, (ii) registered third parties and (iii) regulated donees if they reside in (A) Wales and (B) Scotland.

Qualifying foreign citizens residing in Scotland and Wales are eligible to register to vote in local government and devolved elections, and are therefore permissible donors for those elections. The Commission provides guidance to Electoral Registration Officers on the eligibility criteria. Political parties, campaigners and regulated donees are responsible to carry out checks on donations they receive to ensure they are from permissible sources, and for properly and accurately reporting them. The Commission has published guidance about who is and is not a permissable donor.If the Commission is made aware of evidence that donations may have been misreported or have come from an impermissable source, it will consider it in line with its Enforcement Policy.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the Electoral Commission's timetable is for publishing details of spending by Labour Together for the 2024 general election.

The Commission will publish returns recieved from registered non-party campaigners in two stages, with returns under £250,000 published shortly and those over £250,000 published in the coming months.Non-party campaigners are required to register with the Electoral Commission if they intend to spend more than £10,000 on regulated campaigning ahead of a general election. However, they are only required to report their spending and donations to the Commission if they spend more than £20,000 in England, or £10,000 in any other part of the UK.Labour Together registered with the Commission in March 2024. Following the election, they confirmed they did not exceed the reporting threshold. As a result, they are not required to submit a return.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 22035 on Candidates: Expenditure, what steps the Electoral Commission is taking to increase the transparency of (a) candidate spending and (b) donation returns in relation to the General Election 2024.

The Electoral Commission does not have regulatory or enforcement powers with regard to candidate spending and donations. It does, however, publish candidate returns together in one place in order to provide voters with greater transparency and a fuller picture of the money spent and recieved by the candidates at the election. It will publish headline figures from candidate spending returns at the 2024 general election in due course.