Political Parties: Finance
(asked on 23rd October 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how many and what proportion of trade union members of each trade union with a political fund in Great Britain pay into that political fund, according to the most recent figures held by the Certification Office for Great Britain.
The table below shows the number and proportion of members contributing to political funds, as reported in the Certification Officer’s 2025/26 annual report. The latest available figures for PCS and Unite the Union relate to earlier reporting periods and are set out separately below.
Trade unions with political funds | Number of contributing members | Percentage of members contributing to the fund |
Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen | 16,790 | 66.6% |
Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union | 13,034 | 89.0% |
Communication Workers Union | 112,205 | 68.1% |
Community | 18,827 | 43.2% |
Educational Institute of Scotland | 28,109 | 48.2% |
Fire Brigades Union | 24,863 | 73.7% |
GMB | 345,095 | 60.4% |
Musicians' Union | 15,467 | 43.1% |
NASUWT | 127,585 | 49.2% |
National Education Union | 205,531 | 42.1% |
National Union of Mineworkers | 82 | 41.8% |
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers | 70,262 | 87.3% |
POA | 25,328 | 69.0% |
Prospect | 60,313 | 37.8% |
Society of Radiographers | 21,094 | 63.3% |
Transport Salaried Staffs' Association | 9,905 | 57.5% |
USDAW | 292,790 | 79.4% |
UNISON | 1,212,373 | 84.3% |
University and College Union | 60,234 | 50.1% |
The PCS last submitted a return in 2024/25, reporting 127,994 contributing members, or 67.6% of its membership. Unite the Union last submitted a return in 2021/22, reporting 867,458 contributing members, or 69.6% of its membership. The Certification Officer is in dialogue with these unions regarding their annual return for the relevant period and is satisfied with the reasons given for the delay.