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1253386

	registered interest
	date	18/11/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) financial support to furlough staff employed by and (b) other financial support for political parties has been allocated (i) intentionally and (ii) in error during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Foyle
	tabling member printed	Colum Eastwood
	uin	117395
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>HMRC are not able to provide information on political parties or any other specific organisations that may have received financial support from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS).</p><p> </p><p>This is because of HMRC’s duty of confidentiality. HMRC cannot publish identifying information that relates to their functions, which includes the CJRS, unless there is an appropriate legal basis for publication. No such legal basis was in place for the CJRS prior to 12 November 2020 when the latest CJRS Direction was signed.</p><p> </p><p>In line with the published direction, as part of HMRC’s commitment to transparency and to deter fraudulent claims, HMRC will publish information about employers who claim for periods starting on or after 1 December 2020.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 23/11/2020 14:57:20 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4846 label Biography information for Colum Eastwood

1132688

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	answering body	Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
	answering dept id	36
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission plans to review the ability of UK political parties and campaigns to receive micro-funding from overseas donors.
	tabling member constituency	Cardiff South and Penarth
	tabling member printed	Stephen Doughty
	uin	911478
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>Electoral law allows parties to adopt a fundraising strategy that focusses on raising funds in small amounts. A positive aspect of this is broad engagement of people in politics.</p><p>Parliament set a threshold of £500, above which donations must be from permissible sources. This is to limit influence from outside the UK on our elections and democracy. Below the threshold, sums given to parties and campaigners are not considered to be donations under law, but recipients still need to satisfy themselves who is giving these sums. Multiple sums from a single source could aggregate to above £500 triggering the permissibility rules. This would exclude overseas donors not on the UK electoral register.</p><p>Parties must have systems in place to comply with the rules, and the Commission provides advice to parties and campaigners about how to ensure that they do. If the current law is complied with, there is no reason why micro funding would result in impermissible donations from overseas donors. However, if it is considered that confidence in this needs to be improved by more transparency, the level of the £500 threshold could be lowered by Parliament.</p> answering member constituency Houghton and Sunderland South answering member printed Bridget Phillipson question first answered 24/06/2019 09:58:46 answering member 4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson
	tabling member	4264 label Biography information for Stephen Doughty

750007

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2017
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 5 July 2017 to Question 2270, on political parties: finance, for what reasons the Government chose 1 July 2017 as the start date.
	tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
	tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
	uin	3768
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2017 answer text <p>I first announced my intention to bring forward secondary legislation to implement full transparency from 1 July 2017 during my statement to Parliament on 3 July 2017. This is consistent with the commitment set out in the Government's Northern Ireland manifesto at the General Election. I had previously written to the Northern Ireland political parties in January seeking their views on this issue. The parties were also asked about the date from which transparency should take effect. While all parties that responded expressed broad support for the future publication of donations and loans, only one party expressed support for backdating publication.</p><p>All responses are available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brokenshire-provides-further-details-of-political-donations-policy-to-mps" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brokenshire-provides-further-details-of-political-donations-policy-to-mps</a>.</p><p>Having considered the representations of the parties, I did not believe it right to impose retrospective regulations on those who donated in accordance with the rules set out in law at the time.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire grouped question UIN 3769 question first answered 17/07/2017 12:20:22 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
	tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne

750008

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2017
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 5 July 2017 to Question 2270, on political parties: finance, when the Government announced the 1 July 2017 start date.
	tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
	tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
	uin	3769
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2017 answer text <p>I first announced my intention to bring forward secondary legislation to implement full transparency from 1 July 2017 during my statement to Parliament on 3 July 2017. This is consistent with the commitment set out in the Government's Northern Ireland manifesto at the General Election. I had previously written to the Northern Ireland political parties in January seeking their views on this issue. The parties were also asked about the date from which transparency should take effect. While all parties that responded expressed broad support for the future publication of donations and loans, only one party expressed support for backdating publication.</p><p>All responses are available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brokenshire-provides-further-details-of-political-donations-policy-to-mps" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brokenshire-provides-further-details-of-political-donations-policy-to-mps</a>.</p><p>Having considered the representations of the parties, I did not believe it right to impose retrospective regulations on those who donated in accordance with the rules set out in law at the time.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire grouped question UIN 3768 question first answered 17/07/2017 12:20:23 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
	tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne

101200

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2014
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made on her Department's review of the exemption to the publication of party political donations in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast East
	tabling member printed	Naomi Long
	uin	211922
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>Following public consultation earlier this year, we have been working closely with the Electoral Commission to finalise secondary legislation that will allow for greater transparency for donations and loans to political parties in Northern Ireland. This legislation will be brought before the House when consultation with the Electoral Commission has concluded.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 03/11/2014 15:15:42 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
	tabling member	3920 label Biography information for Naomi Long

1470685

	registered interest
	date	15/06/2022
	answering body	Members Estimate Committee
	answering dept id	91
	answering dept short name	Members Estimate Committee
	answering dept sort name	Members Estimate Committee
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the Members Estimate Committee, if he will publish the amount of (a) short money and (b) other additional parliamentary support funding provided to each political party on an annual basis since 2015.
	tabling member constituency	East Lothian
	tabling member printed	Kenny MacAskill
	uin	19001
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>Since 2016–17 it has been a requirement to publish the amounts paid for each financial year and these can be found on the <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/foi/transparency-publications/hoc-transparency-publications/financial-information/financial-assistance-to-opposition-parties/" target="_blank">Parliament website</a>. The short money and Representative Money provided to each political party on an annual basis since 2015 can be found in the pdf attachment.</p><p>The Short Money and Representative Money allocations scheduled to be paid for the current financial year (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023) are as follows:</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Short/Representative Money Allocations 2022/2023</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Party</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Main Allocation</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Travel Budget</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)</p></td><td><p>£202,484.60</p></td><td><p>£5,018.85</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Green Party</p></td><td><p>£187,111.20</p></td><td><p>£4,637.76</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Labour Party</p></td><td><p>£6,812,568.25</p></td><td><p>£146,451.25</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Liberal Democrats</p></td><td><p>£929,590.70</p></td><td><p>£23,040.69</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Plaid Cymru</p></td><td><p>£110,875.00</p></td><td><p>£2,748.13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Scottish National Party (SNP)</p></td><td><p>£1,149,355.15</p></td><td><p>£28,487.72</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)</p></td><td><p>£110,875.00</p></td><td><p>£2,748.13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sinn Fein *</p></td><td><p>£171,032.15</p></td><td><p>£4,239.21</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>* Representative Money</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Information on previous budget allocations for Short Money and Representative Money can also be found on the App3 tab here:</p><p><a href="https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN01663/CBP01663-2021.xlsx" target="_blank">Data sheets for Library briefing on Short Money </a>(44 KB, Excel Spreadsheet)</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker question first answered 27/06/2022 18:02:52 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker attachment 1 file name Short Money allocations.pdf title Short Money allocations
	tabling member	4772 label Biography information for Kenny MacAskill

1416136

	registered interest
	date	24/01/2022
	answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept id	211
	answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make it a criminal offence for foreign governments to channel funds in excess of a limit of £5,000 into the (1) personal, or (2) business, accounts of individual parliamentarians.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL5601
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>There are rules in place to ensure that only those with a legitimate interest can make political donations. All MPs and members of political parties are regulated donees and can only accept donations of more than £500 made to them in connection with their political activities if it is from a permissible donor. Donations from individuals not on the UK electoral register, such as foreign donors, are not allowed.</p><p>In addition, Members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords must provide information on any financial or non-financial benefit which might reasonably be thought by others to influence their actions or words as Members of Parliament.</p><p>However, we know that in very rare instances, malign actors disguise their links to foreign Governments. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign interference. The Government has structures in place to identify foreign interference or any potential threats to democracy and, where necessary, take proportionate action to mitigate them.</p><p>As set out in the Queen’s Speech, the Government is bringing forward new Counter State Threats legislation to give the intelligence agencies and law enforcement the tools they need to tackle the diversifying and evolving threats we face.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 07/02/2022 17:32:37 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1436081

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2022
	answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept id	211
	answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to bring into force the un-commenced provisions of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009, regarding donations from non-resident donors.
	tabling member printed	Lord Rennard
	uin	HL6457
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2022 answer text <p>The Government has no plans to bring into force the uncommenced provisions of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 regarding donations from non-resident donors.</p><p>As set out in a related answer to a question from <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fquestions-statements.parliament.uk%2Fwritten-questions%2Fdetail%2F2019-06-25%2F268970&amp;data=04%7C01%7CParliamentary%40levellingup.gov.uk%7C3163853efe774557d84d08d9fdd4200a%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637819909769752213%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=sXuNbZH3by8Oou0%2BO%2BEkT36i7qCPVFy3HmE4pd6ypPI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Jon Trickett MP (268970</a>) (attached), it is the view of the Government that this provision is not workable given that an individual’s tax status is subject to confidentiality between them and HMRC.</p><p>Further, taxation is not connected to enfranchisement in the UK and if a British citizen is able to vote in an election for a political party, they should also be able to donate to that political party, subject to the requirements for transparency on donations.</p><p>Registered overseas electors are eligible to make political donations and it is only right that they should be able to donate in the same way as other UK citizens registered on the electoral roll.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 14/03/2022 11:59:02 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh attachment 1 file name 220310 Written questions and answers - HL6457.pdf title Question from Jon Trickett MP
	tabling member	2484 label Biography information for Lord Rennard

1456665

	registered interest
	date	31/03/2022
	answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept id	211
	answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce legislation to make it illegal for non-UK citizens who were granted Tier 1 (Investor) visas to donate to political parties in the United Kingdom.
	tabling member printed	Lord Jones of Cheltenham
	uin	HL7555
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/04/2022 answer text <p>UK electoral law sets out a stringent regime of donations controls to ensure that only those with a legitimate interest in UK elections can make political donations and that political donations are transparent.</p><p>Donations from individuals not on the electoral register are not permitted. There is only a very limited exception to this, whereby for political parties registered in Northern Ireland, permissible donors also include Irish citizens and organisations provided they meet prescribed conditions.</p><p>UK visas, whatever the tier, do not give someone the right to vote in the UK. Eligibility requirements at UK elections will vary across the UK depending on the election, and anyone holding a UK visa will be subject to usual tests around nationality and residency to determine whether they are eligible to register as an elector.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 14/04/2022 15:22:10 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
	tabling member	248 label Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham

1679237

	registered interest
	date	19/12/2023
	answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept id	211
	answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 4 July 2023 (HL Deb col 1125), what progress they have made on the consultation on enhancing information sharing.
	tabling member printed	Lord Evans of Weardale
	uin	HL1334
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/01/2024 answer text <p>The Government will consult the relevant authorities with the aim of finding ways to improve information sharing to facilitate enforcement of existing electoral law and report its conclusions to Parliament by the end of 2024.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook question first answered 05/01/2024 12:34:35 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
	tabling member	4348 label Biography information for Lord Evans of Weardale