Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37583 on Elections: Expenditure, what guidance the Commission has issued on (a) itemising and (b) listing notional spending below £50 in Representation of the People Act returns where the total notional expenditure from that organisation is greater than £50.

The Elecotoral Commission has published guidance for candidates and agents on reporting notional expenditure. Property, goods, services or facilities received over the value of £50, provided for free or at a non-commercial discount, must be reported as candidate spending and as a donation. There are no requirements in law for candidates to report items of notional spending where the value is £50 or lower.

Candidates do not need to itemise or list individual items of spending with a value of £50 or below, even when they have received multiple items of spending from the same organisation with a total value over £50.

Agents are required to include the details of any reportable notional expenditure, and a declaration of its value in the candidate spending return.