Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme on (a) Russian, (b) Iranian and (c) Chinese interference in democratic processes.

Protecting the integrity and security of UK democratic processes from threats of foreign interference is a priority for the government.

The Foreign influence Registration Scheme will increase transparency of foreign power influence over the core aspects of the UK’s democracy, including elections, political party proceedings, parliamentarians and decisions of the Government. Once the scheme is in force those carrying out political influencing activities at the direction of any foreign power, will need to register under the political influence tier. We have published an impact assessment on gov.uk setting out its potential impact.

As I committed to in Parliament on the 4^th March, the Home Office will lay regulations in Parliament as soon as possible, with a view to having the scheme up and running by the summer.