Written questions by Hollinrake.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 22037 on Candidates: expenditure, whether the 20 pence per page prescribed fee can be charged for electronic information provided by email.

The charge to be supplied of copies of the election expenses is 20p per copy page, as set out in regulation 10 (3) of the Representation of the People Regulations 2001. The legislation does not specify whether this is in paper or electronc form.As the legislation does not specify format, and as the fee is intended to cover the administrative costs of providing these documents, it may be applied to electronic documentation provided by email.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what estimate the Electoral Commission has made of the number of people on the electoral roll in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain for each general election since 2010.

The Electoral Commission publishes data and research on elections taking place in the UK, including electorate figures.Figures on the number registered voters at each general election since 2010 are in the table below. Northern IrelandGreat Britain20101,169,18444,428,27720151,236,76545,117,43220171,242,69845,592,73520191,293,97146,273,78120241,363,96146,859,848

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has provided on the use of single notional invoices in candidate returns made under the Representation of the People Act 1983 where multiple (a) elections are held concurrently and (b) candidates in different constituencies and council areas split their costs.

The Electoral Commission provides guidance to support candidates to understand the law and their reporting obligations.The guidance states that where candidates have split costs for an item of spending, each candidate must report the proportion of the costs that are attributable to their election campaign. Where multiple elections are held concurrently, candidates should make an honest assessment of the costs that are attributable to their campaign.If a candidate has paid over £20 for the item, the invoice is required. If a candidate has received the item for free, this is likely to be notional spending, and the law does not require an invoice.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has issued guidance on whether the loan of accommodation to a Parliamentary candidate in the short campaign would be a declarable (a) notional expense and (b) donation under the Representation of the People Act 1983.

The Electoral Commission’s guidance sets out the law, which states that the loan of accommodation to a Parliamentary candidate during the election campaign would typically be notional spending and a donation.However, if the accommodation provided is an individual’s main residence and it is made available free of charge, this is exempt and would not need to be reported as election spending.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has issued guidance on whether a returning officer may levy a prescribed fee for the supply of an electronic copy of an (a) election return and (b) declaration under section 89 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

The Electoral Commission provides guidance to support returning officers to deliver well-run elections that maintain public confidence, including on the inspection and supply of candidate spending returns and declaration.The Commission’s guidance states that the prescribed fee for the supply of copies of a return, declaration or accompanying document is 20p. This fee is intended to cover the administrative costs associated with providing these documents.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many and what proportion of local authority returning officers have sent to the Electoral Commission copies of Parliamentary candidates’ election expense returns from the 2024 general election under section 87A of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

The Electoral Commission has received candidate spending returns from returning officers for all 650 constituencies contested at the 2024 UK parliamentary general election. To support transparency, the Commission plans to publish headline spending and donations totals from the most recent general election in due course.The Commission has a legal remit to secure compliance with the rules on candidates’ spending and donations, but has no role or sanctioning powers in respect of breaches. Enforcing the Representation of the People Act 1983 is the responsibility of the police.