Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in (1) promoting the accountability of government and public authorities, and (2) encouraging public confidence in democratic politics.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to Freedom of Information and continues to monitor the performance and implementation of the Act to ensure it is operating as intended by Parliament.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the cost limit for freedom of information requests; and what assessment they have made of the impacts of doing so on civil liberties and press freedom.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The cost thresholds above which public authorities are not obliged to comply with a Freedom of Information request are set out in secondary legislation. Any changes to FOI legislation would be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to implement the first recommendation of the Rycroft Review: Report of the independent review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics, published on 25 March, that there should be an annual cap on political donations from British voters living abroad; and if so, at what level they intend to set this cap.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

British citizens living overseas who are registered as overseas electors are permissible donors under electoral law and may donate to UK political parties.

Political parties are required to take all reasonable steps to check that donations come from permissible donors and to report donations above statutory thresholds to the Electoral Commission. It is a criminal offence to accept, facilitate or disguise an impermissible donation.

Following the publication of the independent Rycroft Review, the Government set out (attached) its intention to implement the Review’s first recommendation by introducing an annual cap of £100,000 on political donations from overseas electors.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what checks are carried out on the source of finance donated to political parties by British voters living abroad.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

British citizens living overseas who are registered as overseas electors are permissible donors under electoral law and may donate to UK political parties.

Political parties are required to take all reasonable steps to check that donations come from permissible donors and to report donations above statutory thresholds to the Electoral Commission. It is a criminal offence to accept, facilitate or disguise an impermissible donation.

Following the publication of the independent Rycroft Review, the Government set out (attached) its intention to implement the Review’s first recommendation by introducing an annual cap of £100,000 on political donations from overseas electors.