Context
The Electoral Commission's role in supporting disabled candidates.
Question
What steps the Electoral Commission has taken to support candidates with disabilities. The proportion of politicians with disabilities still vastly lags behind that required to reflect our society, causing disadvantage and exclusion. The all-party parliamentary group for disability, which I chair, is undertaking an inquiry into the support required to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to stand for Parliament.
Answer from Chris Matheson
The Electoral Commission has supported all three of the UK's Governments to develop funds to support access to elected office for candidates with disabilities. It provides guidance to candidates with disabilities about how to stand for election and how the spending rules apply to costs reasonably attributable to their disability. The commissioners are aware that the APPG will be undertaking this inquiry, and they assure me that not only will they help to inform that inquiry but that the inquiry will help to inform the commission with its outcome.
Not addressed: The specific link between the Electoral Commission and the APPG was acknowledged but no concrete commitment was given beyond mutual support in an ongoing process.
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