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517818

	registered interest
	date	05/05/2016
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Electoral Commission's 2013 recommendation that political parties that receive and spend less than £500 annually should be exempt from submitting a full statement of accounts.
	tabling member constituency	Banbury
	tabling member printed	Victoria Prentis
	uin	36690
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2016 answer text <p>The Electoral Commission published a report “a regulatory review of the UK’s party and electoral finance laws” in June 2013 that made 50 recommendations. The report’s first recommendation proposed changes to the reporting requirements for parties that receive and spend less than £500 annually. Such a change would require primary legislation. The Government recognises that there is a balance to be struck between reducing the burden on smaller parties and maintaining transparency of the funding of all parties which contest elections in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Weston-super-Mare answering member printed John Penrose question first answered 10/05/2016 12:52:33 answering member 1584 label Biography information for John Penrose
	tabling member	4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis

1133264

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the Government has not issued a commencement order for Section 10 of the Political Parties Act 2009, in relation to non-resident donors.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	266672
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>Successive Governments have considered section 10 of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 to be unworkable</p><p>There is already a robust legal framework in place to ensure only individuals that are registered on the electoral register and organisations that carry out business in the UK can<br>make donations to political organisations in the UK</p><p>In May this year, the Government announced it will consult on strengthening the current provisions which protect UK politics from foreign influence. The consultation may consider<br>recommendations on foreign spending in elections and donations from shell companies.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 24/06/2019 16:25:16 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1134466

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2019 to Question 266672 on Political Parties: Finance, for what reason the Government considers Section 10 of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 to be unworkable.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	268969
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The Coalition Government took the decision not to implement the 2009 legislation, as it was not deemed to be workable, and the Conservative Government continues to hold this view.</p><p>During the passage of the 2009 Act, the Electoral Commission raised concerns about the legislation (further to Official Report, 15 October 2009, Col. 998W), and in 2013, the Electoral Commission also flagged issues about the tax status declaration requirements. The Labour Government conceded that the provisions could not be commenced at that time “due to their complex nature” (as outlined in the answer of Official Report, 10 March 2010, Col. 5MC).</p><p> </p><p>An individual’s tax status is subject to confidentiality between them and HMRC. It may therefore be difficult or impossible for the political party and the Electoral Commission to accurately determine whether a donor meets the permissibility test set out section 10 in the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009.</p><p>The Government also has a principled objection to the measures:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The UK has a robust legal framework in place that bans foreign donations. There is a long-standing principle – as originally recommended by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in 1998 – that permissible donors are those on the UK electoral register, and this includes UK citizens who are registered overseas electors. Companies wishing to make donations must be UK-registered and carrying on business in the UK.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>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. Supporting a political party is part of the democratic process, and is an expression of freedom of association.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Since the adoption of universal suffrage, taxation has never been the basis of enfranchisement in the UK. Those who do not pay income tax, such as those earning less than the tax-free personal allowance, rightly remain entitled to vote. Similarly, full-time students are legally exempt from paying council tax, but still have the right to vote in local elections.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Notwithstanding, as I stated in my previous answer, the Government has announced it will consult on strengthening the current provisions which protect UK politics from foreign influence. The consultation may consider recommendations on tackling loopholes in relation to foreign spending in elections and donations from shell companies which are not properly operating in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>More broadly, since 2010, the Government has taken action to sanction and deter those involved in offshore evasion, including creating a new criminal offence for serious offshore evasion, and introducing penalties for those who deliberately help others to evade tax offshore. The Government has introduced over 100 new measures to tackle tax avoidance, evasion and non-compliance.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 01/07/2019 09:32:22 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1134468

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has received representations from the Electoral Commission on the workability of section 10 of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	268970
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The Coalition Government took the decision not to implement the 2009 legislation, as it was not deemed to be workable, and the Conservative Government continues to hold this view.</p><p>During the passage of the 2009 Act, the Electoral Commission raised concerns about the legislation (further to Official Report, 15 October 2009, Col. 998W), and in 2013, the Electoral Commission also flagged issues about the tax status declaration requirements. The Labour Government conceded that the provisions could not be commenced at that time “due to their complex nature” (as outlined in the answer of Official Report, 10 March 2010, Col. 5MC).</p><p> </p><p>An individual’s tax status is subject to confidentiality between them and HMRC. It may therefore be difficult or impossible for the political party and the Electoral Commission to accurately determine whether a donor meets the permissibility test set out section 10 in the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009.</p><p>The Government also has a principled objection to the measures:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The UK has a robust legal framework in place that bans foreign donations. There is a long-standing principle – as originally recommended by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in 1998 – that permissible donors are those on the UK electoral register, and this includes UK citizens who are registered overseas electors. Companies wishing to make donations must be UK-registered and carrying on business in the UK.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>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. Supporting a political party is part of the democratic process, and is an expression of freedom of association.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Since the adoption of universal suffrage, taxation has never been the basis of enfranchisement in the UK. Those who do not pay income tax, such as those earning less than the tax-free personal allowance, rightly remain entitled to vote. Similarly, full-time students are legally exempt from paying council tax, but still have the right to vote in local elections.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Notwithstanding, as I stated in my previous answer, the Government has announced it will consult on strengthening the current provisions which protect UK politics from foreign influence. The consultation may consider recommendations on tackling loopholes in relation to foreign spending in elections and donations from shell companies which are not properly operating in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>More broadly, since 2010, the Government has taken action to sanction and deter those involved in offshore evasion, including creating a new criminal offence for serious offshore evasion, and introducing penalties for those who deliberately help others to evade tax offshore. The Government has introduced over 100 new measures to tackle tax avoidance, evasion and non-compliance.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 01/07/2019 09:32:44 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1135945

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2017 to Question 268970, whether his Department received proposals from the Electoral Commission on the implementation of section 10 of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	271380
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The Electoral Commission set out their concerns and recommendations for implementation in their 2013 report ‘<em>A regulatory review of the UK’s party and election finance laws: Recommendations for change</em>’.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 04/07/2019 09:59:54 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

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

1378675

	registered interest
	date	15/11/2021
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing measures to prevent (a) regulated donees from accepting donations or loans from people who are (i) not domiciled in the UK and (ii) non-resident for tax purposes and (b) regulated donees and non-party campaigners from accepting donations or loans from people who are not tax compliant.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	75177
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2021 answer text <p>There is a long-standing principle – as originally recommended by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in 1998 – that permissible donors are those on the UK electoral register. If one can vote for a party, then one should be able to donate to it. Foreign donations are banned.</p><p>Election law already allows for registered British expatriates to vote in UK Parliamentary elections, and also to make donations (up to 15 years from leaving the UK). The Election Bill makes no change to that principle, merely it removes the arbitrary 15 year period.</p><p>Since the adoption of universal suffrage, taxation has never been the basis for enfranchisement in our democracy. Some British citizens who work abroad, and who can already vote under the current ‘15 year rule’, only pay tax in the overseas country in which they work. Equally, other British expatriates will currently pay tax on their pensions, property and investments in the UK, but still not have a right to vote.</p><p>Within the UK, those who do not pay income tax, such as those earning less than the tax-free personal allowance, rightly remain entitled to vote. Similarly, full-time students are legally exempt from paying council tax, but rightly still have the right to vote in local elections for the local authority which sets that council tax.</p><p>I also refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 1 July 2019, Official Report, UIN 268969, on the flaws with provisions in the last Labour Government's Political Parties and Elections Act 2009.</p><p>The Elections Bill does provide for separate measures to prevent backdoor foreign spending.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 24/11/2021 18:26:37 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1378863

	registered interest
	date	16/11/2021
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing measures to require unincorporated associations that make political contributions in a year totalling above £7,500 or above to report gifts received above £7,500.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	75811
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2021 answer text <p>Unincorporated associations making political contributions of more than £25,000 in a calendar year must notify the Electoral Commission and are then subsequently subject to various reporting requirements relating to their own funding. Members’ associations (many of which are unincorporated associations) are separately regulated as regulated donees and must report on donations and loans they receive. The rules are outlined at: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.electoralcommission.org.uk%2Funincorporated-associations&amp;data=04%7C01%7CParliamentary%40communities.gov.uk%7Cd4aad1c86d2d4c80aa6208d9af6c4753%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637733701843693710%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=SNoE3JDXq93YtU8Y047%2BHzfc0TQJKWsZadKfGvo1MK0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/unincorporated-associations</a>.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 24/11/2021 17:34:25 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1378864

	registered interest
	date	16/11/2021
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will consult on the maximum fine the Electoral Commission can impose on individuals and organisations for breaking political finance rules.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	75812
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2021 answer text <p>The Electoral Commission may impose monetary penalties of up to £20,000 per offence. Criminal matters can be referred to the police. The courts may levy unlimited fines and custodial sentences for some offences, as laid out in the Political Parties Elections and Referendum Act 2000 (as amended).</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 24/11/2021 17:33:49 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1437752

	registered interest
	date	03/03/2022
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to figures from the Electoral Commission released on 2 March 2022 recording the Conservative Party received £80,000 from Lubov Chernukhin in the last quarter, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of donations to political parties.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	uin	134084
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2022 answer text <p>UK electoral law already sets out a stringent regime of donations controls that bans foreign donations. Individuals must be on the UK electoral roll to make political donations; in the case of companies, they must be properly carrying on business in the UK. The Government is strengthening the corporate transparency regime to ensure this is the case.</p><p>Reportable donations are overseen by the Electoral Commission. If the Hon. Member has a query relating to its operational policy and guidance on permissible donations, she may wish to ask a question via the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission.</p><p>More broadly, I would make the following observation: there are people in this country of Russian origin who are British citizens. Many are critics of Putin and have condemned his invasion of Ukraine. It is completely wrong and discriminatory to tar them all with the same brush because of their family background or past nationality.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 09/03/2022 17:45:10 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
	tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones