Oral Answers to Questions

Owen Thompson Excerpts

Thursday 26th January 2023 Commons Chamber

The hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, was asked—

[Owen Thompson (Midlothian) (SNP)]

5. Whether the committee has had recent discussions with the commission on the strength and transparency of electoral law on political (a) donations and (b) donors.

[Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood)]

The Speaker’s Committee has not held recent discussions on the matters raised. The UK has one of the most transparent political finance regimes in the world. However, the Electoral Commission has highlighted that reforms are needed to modernise and further safeguard our system, and it has made recommendations to ensure that voters can have greater confidence in political finance in the UK. Those include new duties on parties for enhanced due diligence, risk assessment of donations, and changes to the law to ensure that companies have made enough money in the UK to fund any donations.

[Owen Thompson]

While I welcome steps to improve transparency in donations to political parties, what more can the Speaker’s Committee do to support improved transparency in donations to, and campaign activity of, non-party campaigners, and on increasing levels of foreign interference?