Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Election Finance from Overseas: Transparency

Thursday 11 January 2024 · 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 committee has not had any recent discussions with the Electoral Commission on the matters raised.
  • The Electoral Commission publishes information about donations to ensure transparency.
  • The Electoral Commission highlights vulnerabilities in the political finance system regarding foreign influence.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Patricia Gibson SNP
Democracy & Elections
Context

The Electoral Commission has highlighted that the UK political finance system is vulnerable to unlawful influence from foreign donations, both from abroad and within the UK.

Question

Whether the committee has had recent discussions with the Electoral Commission on the adequacy of the transparency of election finance from overseas. The commission publishes information about donations to ensure transparency but also highlights vulnerabilities in the political finance system regarding unlawful foreign influence.

Answer from Cat Smith

The committee has not had any recent discussions with the commission on the matters raised. The commission publishes information about donations to ensure transparency, and it highlights that the political finance system is vulnerable to unlawful influence from foreign donations both overseas and in the UK.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The committee has not had any recent discussions with the Electoral Commission on these matters.

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Q2 Patricia Gibson SNP
Democracy & Elections Foreign Affairs
Context

The parliamentary National Security Strategy Committee revealed that the Russian state attempted to interfere with the 2019 general election. This Government have made it easier for overseas donors, including those living in Russia, to donate to UK political parties.

Question

Does the Electoral Commission share my party's concern that this government is opening up UK democracy to even greater influence by hostile nations? The Russian state attempted to interfere with the 2019 general election and current regulations make it easier for overseas donors, including Russians, to donate to UK political parties.

Answer from Cat Smith

It would be a matter for security services rather than the Electoral Commission to assess whether unlawful foreign money was used in 2019 elections. Political parties must report and return unlawful donations, and the commission conducts permissibility checks on donations and can sanction parties that accept impermissible foreign donations.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Electoral Commission's role is limited to assessing the legality of donations and it does not conduct full assessments regarding security threats.

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