Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Donations: Political Parties

Thursday 10 March 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The commission has recommended introducing enhanced due diligence based on existing money laundering regulations to assess and manage risks of unlawful foreign funding.
  • The commission publishes larger donations to ensure transparency and compliance with the law.
  • The commission audits donations to safeguard free and fair elections in the UK.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alistair Carmichael Lib Dem Orkney and Shetland
Democracy & Elections
Context

The question follows reports of concerns regarding donations to political parties from individuals or companies with links to the Russian Government. These concerns highlight the need for robust due diligence measures.

Question

What recent assessment has the commission made of the due diligence requirements for donations to political parties from individuals and companies with links to the Russian Government?

Answer from Chris Matheson

Voters deserve to know that elections in the UK are free and fair, with laws safeguarding them from unlawful influence. The law requires parties to confirm donor identity and permissibility, while the commission publishes larger donations for transparency. The commission has recommended introducing new duties based on existing money laundering regulations to enhance due diligence.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific assessment requested was not provided; instead, general statements about current regulations and recommendations were given.

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Q2 Alistair Carmichael Lib Dem Orkney and Shetland
Democracy & Elections
Context

Recent reports have raised concerns about the process of awarding certain peerages, suggesting a need for enhanced scrutiny. These concerns are linked to stories questioning the integrity of the awarding system.

Question

The hon. Gentleman will have seen reports at the weekend surrounding concerns with regard to the awarding of a particular peerage, something on which there has been no credible denial. Does he agree that, when we see such stories, we realise that we need a stronger not a weaker Electoral Commission? For that reason, the Government should not be proceeding with the measures in the Elections Bill.

Answer from Chris Matheson

The right hon. Gentleman will permit me not to comment on specific cases, but the commission has recommended enhanced due diligence based on existing money laundering regulations to assess and manage risks of unlawful foreign funding. The commission also audits donations for compliance. If he has concerns about individual donations, he should inform the commission.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific peerage case was not addressed; instead, general statements on due diligence were provided.

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