Found: Better Youth Spaces programme and a national network of Young Futures Hubs; and the Representation of the People Bill

Found: Financial Influence and Interference in UK Politics (the Rycroft Review), and the Representation of the People Bill

Found: Q153 Chair: Sandra, on that last point, the Representation of the People Bill will introduce consistency

Found: and experiences of the younger generation in light of changes proposed through the Representation of the People Bill

Found: The Government should amend Part 4 of the Representation of the People Bill to specify that limits on

Found: Are you, like the Committee, disappointed that the Representation of the People Bill was pulled and

Found: We particularly welcome the recommendations to strengthen provisions in the Representation of the People Bill

Found: We particularly welcome the recommendations to strengthen provisions in the Representation of the People Bill

Found: We particularly welcome the recommendations to strengthen provisions in the Representation of the People Bill

Found: defending democracy taskforce and some of the measures we are trying to take through the Representation of the People Bill

Found: The Representation of the People Bill currently before the UK Parliament would make further improvements

Found: writing impartial briefings, sometimes about political financing and sometimes about the Representation of the People Bill

Found: into the health of electoral democracy in the United Kingdom, in the context of the Representation of the People Bill

Found: moratorium on donations made via cryptocurrency, which we will implement through the Representation of the People Bill

Found: The Government has said it will amend the Representation of the People Bill at report stage, to allow

Found: politics through the lack of a cap on political donations- an omission the Government’s Representation of the People Bill

Found: examine the health of UK electoral democracy alongside the specific reforms in the Representation of the People Bill

Found: Representation) would make a massive difference to me and millions of others if included in the Representation of the People Bill

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the merits or otherwise of a cap on political donations from domestically based (1) electors, (2) companies, and (3) trade unions; and what plans they have to introduce such a policy.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government recognises concerns about the role of very large donations in politics and the importance of maintaining public confidence in the democratic process.

The Representation of the People Bill focuses on addressing the most immediate risks to the integrity of UK democracy, including foreign influence, overseas donations and cryptoassets.

Alongside these reforms, we are establishing a cross-government task and finish team to consider the issues threatening UK democracy, including political funding, illegitimate influence, and broader threats to political equality.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the Financial Conduct Authority letter Sponsorship Arrangements Between Football Clubs and Unauthorised Firms published in June 2026, whether the Financial Conduct Authority intends to review sponsorship or arrangements between crypto-currency firms, and (1) political parties, and (2) politicians.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Protecting the integrity of our democratic and electoral processes is a priority for this Government.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) does not intend to undertake such a review. The FCA has taken steps to address the risks associated with football club sponsorship arrangements involving unauthorised cryptoasset firms. Oversight of sponsorship arrangements involving political parties or politicians falls under electoral law and is a matter for the Government and the independent Electoral Commission.

The Government is bringing forward a number of policy reforms on political finance as part of the Representation of the People Bill. These include reforms to rules around political donations, as well as new rules relating to political donations in the form of cryptoassets, donations from companies and LLPs, and a cap on donations from overseas electors.   

In March 2026, alongside the publication of the independent Rycroft Review into countering foreign financial interference and influence in UK politics, the Government announced a moratorium on political donations made via cryptoassets. This includes political donations which take the form of sponsorships.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the comments by the Minister of 2 September 2026, Official Report, Columns 340 and 342, on the Representation of the People Bill, what are the terms of reference for the Government task and finish team; when will it report by; whether the report will be laid before Parliament; and who are the members of the team.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that the UK's political finance framework remains robust and commands public confidence.

We are establishing a cross-government task and finish team to consider the issues threatening UK democracy, including political funding, illegitimate influence, and broader threats to political equality.

Further details will be available in due course.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the recommendation of the Independent Review into Countering Foreign Financial Influence and Interference in UK Politics, published on 26 March, that foreign-funded political advertising should be banned and that imprints on printed and digital election material should include who has paid for the material; and what further steps, including legislation, they intend to take.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government recognises the growing risk posed by foreign interference in British politics, including through online political advertising, and agrees with the intent to eliminate the risk of foreign-funded political advertising.

In our response to the Rycroft Review, we committed to identifying the most effective and proportionate solution to this risk. This work will include consideration of the non-party campaigning rules, alongside wider options, and we will set out proposals in due course.

The Representation of the People Bill already strengthens the digital imprint regime by requiring all third-party campaigners to include imprints on their organic digital campaigning material. We are also considering further reforms to provide greater clarity on who has paid for campaigning material.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the risk assessments on political donations in the Representation of the People Bill will apply to bequests where the donor has died.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Bequests are expressly recognised within the political finance regime. Where a bequest constitutes a donation under the relevant regime, it is treated as a political donation and subject to the relevant donation controls. Recipients must continue to comply with the existing statutory requirements for donations, including taking the steps required by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to establish whether a donation is permissible before it can be accepted.

All recipients of political contributions above £11,180 (as a single donation or by aggregation from the same donor in the relevant reference period) including relevant donations, regulated transactions and bequests, will need to carry out a risk assessment as required by the Know Your Donor regime. The recipient remains responsible for satisfying itself that it has complied with the statutory requirements in electoral law before accepting that donation, having regard to Electoral Commission guidance where relevant.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what further consideration they have given to measures to prevent foreign money flowing into the wider political eco-system in light of the commitment they made to "consider opportunities for further work in the future" in their response to the Report of the Independent Review into Countering Foreign Financial Influence and Interference in UK Politics, published on 6 July.

Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government’s response to the Rycroft Review, published on 6 July 2026, accepted all 17 recommendations and set out a comprehensive package of reforms to strengthen the political finance framework.

The Representation of the People Bill includes measures to address a number of the Review’s recommendations including reforms to overseas, cryptoasset and company donations, donor checks, strengthening the Electoral Commission’s powers and extending its remit to candidate finance.

The Government is also considering the wider issues identified by the Review, including lobbying transparency and other potential routes through which foreign money may seek to exert influence within the wider political ecosystem. Any further policy developments will be announced to Parliament in the usual way.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the forecast change in the (a) accuracy and (b) completeness of the (i) Parliamentary and (ii) local government electoral roll from the introduction of Automatic Voter Registration.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is using the Representation of the People Bill to lay the foundations to make the registration process more automated and simpler in the coming years.

The policy was assessed as part of the Impact Assessment for the Representation of the People Bill.

We intend to explore and test new and more automated methods of registration and evaluation of this testing will help us to better understand the potential impact of the proposed automated registration processes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the House of Commons Registrar will play any role in providing advice to Hon Members on the new due diligence requirements on political donations to Hon Members, and what consideration has been made of a ‘safe harbour’ provision.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

It is important to distinguish between electoral law and the rules governing the conduct of Members of Parliament. As the independent regulator of elections in the UK, the Electoral Commission is responsible for assisting in compliance with electoral law, including the political finance framework, and provides guidance and support to those subject to it, including political parties, campaigners and candidates.

Separate parliamentary rules and standards, including those relating to Members' conduct and parliamentary proceedings, are the responsibility of the Houses of Parliament and its authorities. Neither the Government nor the Electoral Commission determine or provide authoritative guidance on parliamentary rules, just as parliamentary authorities do not regulate compliance with electoral law.

Further guidance will be produced by the Electoral Commission to support recipients of donations to adhere to the new donation requirements set out in the Representation of the People Bill. We consider this the most effective way to support compliance.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of foreign financial interference in politics from overseas organisations promoting decarbonisation and net zero policies.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Safeguarding the integrity, transparency and resilience of the UK’s system of political finance is fundamental to maintaining public trust in our institutions, both nationally and internationally.

The UK already has a strong regulatory framework governing political finance. However, the Government is clear that protections must continue to evolve to keep pace with emerging threats. We will take decisive action to protect and strengthen safeguards, close potential loopholes, and harden the UK’s defences against foreign financial influence.

These reforms will largely be progressed via amendments to the Representation of the People Bill, currently before Parliament. Where utilising the Bill is not a viable or appropriate option, other methods will be deployed to ensure work is progressed efficiently and effectively.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the Rycroft Review: HM Government response, 6 July 2026, recommendation 11, under what circumstances the National Crime Agency has a remit over the investigation of breaches of political finance laws on the permissibility and reporting of donations; and what the role is of the (a) Metropolitan Police and (b) City of London Police in investigating such matters.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The National Crime Agency, police, the Electoral Commission and other partners work collaboratively to provide an appropriate response to breaches of political finance law within the legislative frameworks provided.

Enforcement is supported by a networked policing model led by the City of London Police, with centrally based specialists providing advice and coordination to Single Points of Contact across police forces.

The Special Enquiries Team (SET) leads the Metropolitan Police’s response to electoral crime and politically sensitive investigations. SET provide specialist assessment, investigation and strategic advice to policing and partner agencies on offences linked to public office and the democratic process.

The Representation of the People Bill extends the Electoral Commission’s enforcement remit to include candidate finance offences, which will enable more proportionate and encompassing enforcement across the political finance framework, while retaining police investigation and prosecution for the most serious cases.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Impact Assessment for the Representation of the People Bill, published on 14 May 2026, whether the non-monetised costs to local authorities will be compensated under the New Burdens doctrine; and whether her Department will calculate the cost of burdens which are currently non-monetised.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities will be fully funded in line with the New Burdens doctrine, which compensates local authorities for additional net expenditure resulting from central government policy. We will keep our assessment of local authority impacts under review, and any necessary updates to the Bill's accompanying Impact Assessment will be made in the usual way.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the review of registered political party and Third party Campaigner spending limits will include consideration of expenditure by third-party campaigners and unincorporated associations.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 10 July 2026, the then Minister for Democracy wrote to the Electoral Commission asking it to review registered political party and third-party campaigner spending limits and provide recommendations by July 2027. On 29 August 2026, the Secretary of State and First Secretary of State expanded the review to include candidate spending limits. The relevant letters are publicly available on GOV.UK.

The Government has not provided the Electoral Commission with formal terms of reference. As the independent regulator for elections, it is appropriate that the Electoral Commission determines how best to conduct the review and consider interactions across the electoral spending framework.

Unincorporated associations are not currently subject to spending limits and are therefore outside the scope of the review. Separately, the Representation of the People Bill contains measures to strengthen the rules that apply to unincorporated associations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the review into political party spending will examine interactions between candidate spending limits and national party spending limits.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 10 July 2026, the then Minister for Democracy wrote to the Electoral Commission asking it to review registered political party and third-party campaigner spending limits and provide recommendations by July 2027. On 29 August 2026, the Secretary of State and First Secretary of State expanded the review to include candidate spending limits. The relevant letters are publicly available on GOV.UK.

The Government has not provided the Electoral Commission with formal terms of reference. As the independent regulator for elections, it is appropriate that the Electoral Commission determines how best to conduct the review and consider interactions across the electoral spending framework.

Unincorporated associations are not currently subject to spending limits and are therefore outside the scope of the review. Separately, the Representation of the People Bill contains measures to strengthen the rules that apply to unincorporated associations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of whether voluntary sector incorporated associations have the capacity to undertake the increased regulatory requirements in the Representation of the People Bill.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is committed to upholding and strengthening UK democracy by protecting against foreign interference, improving political transparency, adding tougher checks for donations and closing loopholes by reinforcing electoral legislation against foreign interference.

As part of this, with the Representation of the People Bill, we are introducing strict new eligibility criteria which companies must meet in order to make political donations. Following recommendations made in Sir Philip Rycroft’s review into countering foreign financial interference and influence in UK politics, we have committed to replace the revenue test with a post-tax profit test measured over five years. This will enable corporate permissibility to be assessed against profits rather than revenue, closing a key loophole and strengthening the integrity of corporate political finance.

Some legitimate companies are not set up with the explicit purpose of making profit, and it would not be fair to automatically exclude them from making political donations where they would otherwise be able to donate. Therefore, we will use a definition of profit which accommodates different types of organisations. Further details will be set out in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government response to the Rycroft review, whether political donations from charities and unincorporated associations which are controlled by overseas bodies will be permissible.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Political donations may only be accepted from permissible sources under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. For an unincorporated association to be a permissible donor, it must meet the relevant statutory requirements, including having its main office in the UK and carrying out business or other activities in the UK. Charities registered in the UK are prohibited from making political donations to political parties.

The Representation of the People Bill will further strengthen these safeguards. Unincorporated associations making significant political contributions will be required to confirm that funds used for those contributions come from permissible sources, and will be subject to stronger registration and transparency requirements with the Electoral Commission. The Bill will also introduce a 'Know Your Donor' scheme, requiring recipients of donations over £11,180 to consider the risk that donations are from illegitimate sources.

These reforms are designed to strengthen protections against foreign interference and ensure greater transparency over the funding of UK politics. Where overseas funds are involved, the relevant statutory permissibility and transparency requirements must be complied with.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is the budget for automatic voter registration over the Spending Review period, and what costs have been monetised to date.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Improving Voter Registration policy has been appraised in the Impact Assessment for the Representation of the People Bill, and all monetised costs of the policy are set out in that assessment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to make any changes to electoral law or political finance law over and above those set out in (a) the Representation of the People Bill and (b) the Government response to the Rycroft Review, published on 6 July 2026.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has set out its current objectives for changes to electoral law and political finance law in the Representation of the People Bill and in response to the Rycroft Review.

The Government has been clear that neither the current Bill, nor the response to the Rycroft Review, represent the totality of our ambition for electoral reform and work will continue.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's document entitled The Rycroft Review: HM Government response, published on 6 July 2026 and the Representation of the People Bill, what assessment her Department has made of whether political parties have sufficient volunteer capacity to undertake the new reporting and donation checking requirements on local accounting units, including those in relation to (a) risk assessments and (b) all donor declarations.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given on 10 July to Question UIN 14977. As set out in that answer, all recipients of political donations will need to carry out enhanced Know Your Donor due diligence checks on donations over £11,180, including where relevant donations are received across different parts of a political party’s organisation. The recipient considering whether to accept a donation remains responsible for satisfying itself that it has complied with the statutory requirements in electoral law before accepting that donation, having regard to Electoral Commission guidance where relevant.

The Know Your Donor regime will require any relevant risk assessment to be completed before a donation may be accepted. Recipients will be required to comply with the statutory framework and have regard to Electoral Commission guidance when undertaking risk assessments. Whether a donation is treated as accepted is determined in accordance with the requirements of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. The relevant consideration is whether the donation has been dealt with in accordance with those statutory requirements.

The Government has considered the impact of these reforms on political parties and other donees. The measures have been designed to build on existing permissibility checking requirements, focus additional due diligence on higher value donations, and be supported by Electoral Commission guidance. We will continue to engage with political parties and the Electoral Commission to support effective and proportionate implementation.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to para 71 of the Explanatory Notes to the representation of the People Bill as introduced in the House of Commons on 14 May 2026, whether the Electoral Commission has been informed of which offences that the Government is minded to prescribe in secondary legislation.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission has discussed the offences that the UK Government may prescribe in secondary legislation. The Electoral Commission continues to work closely with the Government, through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on implementing the measures in the Bill.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the (a) FTE and (b) headcount level is of staffing of the Electoral Commission; whether there are plans to increase that figure; and what assessment the Speaker’s Committee has made of the potential impact of measures in the Representation of the People Bill on staffing requirements.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

As of 2 September, the Commission’s FTE level is 295.5 and its headcount level is 300.

The Commission is evaluating the measures in the Representation of the People Bill and will discuss any budgetary changes with the Speaker’s Committee.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether fiat currency donations from monies derived from cryptoassets converted in (a) money or (b) other benefits are (i) impermissible or (ii) permissible donations under proposals for a retrospective moratorium on cryptocurrency donations to political parties and regulated donees.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has accepted all recommendations of the Rycroft Review and is taking forward those requiring primary legislation through the Representation of the People Bill, which is currently before Parliament. A moratorium on political donations made via crypto assets has applied since 25 March 2026, and any amount donated in crypto assets will be banned under the Bill.

The question of fiat currency donations derived from crypto assets is distinct from a direct donation made in crypto assets. The Government recognises residual concerns that crypto assets could be converted into fiat currency before being donated and will set out further detail on the treatment of such donations in due course.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 29 June (HL1025), whether their discussions with the Electoral Commission included the merits of requiring the publication of official turnout figures in local contests where voters are able to cast more than one vote; and if so, what was the outcome of those discussions.

Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The power in clause 49 of the Representation of the People Bill is intended to support the provision of election-related information to electors, including information about elections and referendums in their area, candidates standing for election and polling station locations. Government discussions with the Electoral Commission on the use of this power have therefore focused on how best to improve access to this information for voters. They have not focused on requirements for the publication of official turnout figures for local contests.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2026 to Question 9009 on Political parties: Finance, what assessment has been made of whether such property assets of defunct or wound-down (a) political property companies and (b) political clubs could become stranded as consequence of the new proposed profit test.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Representation of the People Bill introduces new, stricter requirements for companies wishing to make donations to political parties and other regulated entities. Companies set up to hold property assets will be subject to those requirements, including being able to demonstrate sufficient profit.

The government recognises the concern that these types of companies may not be able to meet this test. We are continuing to engage with political parties and other stakeholders to consider the potential implications and practical operation of these reforms.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled Tough new rules to crackdown on foreign money in UK elections, of 6 July 2026, whether political parties will be retrospectively required to return donations from 25 March 2026 to 5 July 2026 that do not comply with the minimum residency requirement in relation to former overseas electors or former non-registered electors who were residing abroad.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The minimum residency requirement which was announced by Government on 6 July 2026 will apply to any registered overseas elector who then registered domestically from 25 March 2026 onwards. For registered overseas electors who register domestically this year, the minimum residency period will apply until 1 January 2028.

For non-registered individuals who were residing abroad, the modified minimum residency requirement applies from 6 July.

Donations from before commencement which exceed the cap, either outright or when aggregated with other donations and regulated transactions in the same year, must be returned within 60 days of commencement of the provisions in the Representation of the People Bill.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 13 March 2026, to Question 117888, on Candidates, whether his Department is retaining the requirement that the office address must be within the local authority area.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The government is not changing location requirements for office addresses. Through the Representation of the People Bill, election agents will still need to provide a home address, but they will also be able to provide a correspondence address for publication instead of their home address. That correspondence address may be located anywhere in the United Kingdom.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their plans to lower the voting age to 16, whether they have plans to amend the definition of a child to those under the age of 16 in the (1) Children and Families Act 2014, (2) Children Act 1989, and (c) Children Act 2004.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

None of the measures in the Representation of the People Bill which extend the right to vote to 16- and 17-year-olds will change the definition of a child in those three acts.

There is no single definition of the age at which someone becomes an ‘adult’ in the UK. Different age limits are applied in different circumstances.

This government is clear that 16 is the right age to be able to exercise your democratic right. Extending the right to vote to 16- and 17-year-olds will allow them to have a say in the government that shapes their future and set them up for lifelong engagement in democracy.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 21 April 2026 to Question 124762 on Political Parties: Finance, whether the new Section 54A requirement will be in addition to a requirement for an overseas elector to make a declaration on their donations.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

Under our amendment to the Representation of the People Bill, an overseas elector will be required to provide a declaration for their donation to be permissible. A declaration from an overseas elector must include the individual’s full name and address; whether they are an overseas contributor, the value of the main donation, and the date on which the declaration is made.

In addition to this, the Government will seek to introduce a requirement for all donors making donations with above a certain threshold to submit a declaration with their donation. The information in this declaration will include the requirements set out under Section 54A.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has had discussions with the House of Commons (a) Standards Committee, (b) Registrar and (c) Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on proposed reforms on political donations to and reporting by hon. Members.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders on the political finance measures contained in the Representation of the People Bill, including the Electoral Commission, the National Crime Agency, political parties and parliamentary colleagues. Ministers have also engaged with Members of both Houses during the Bill's passage.

There will be further opportunities for parliamentary scrutiny and debate as the Bill continues through the House of Commons.

The measures in the Bill concern political finance law and do not alter the House of Commons Code of Conduct or rules on the registration and declaration of Members’ interests, which are matters for Parliament.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether new corporate donation rules will apply to Representation of the People Act candidate donations.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Government has tabled an amendment in the House of Commons at Report stage of the Representation of the People Bill to ensure that the new corporate donation rules introduced will also apply to donations made to candidates under the Representation of the People Act 1983, to ensure that these donations come from permissible sources.

This is consistent with our wider intent to tighten the rules governing company donations, improving transparency and strengthening trust in UK politics.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2026, to Question 11405, on Members and Political Parties: Finance, whether local accounting units will be required to undertake due diligence on donations below £11,180 if (a) their national political party or (b) another local accounting unit within that party, has accepted donations from the same donor in the same year which would aggregate above £11,180.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

All donations with a value above £500 must be checked for permissibility in accordance with the requirements set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (PPERA).

The Know Your Donor regime will introduce new risk-based due diligence checks on significant political donations. As provided for in the Representation of the People Bill 2026, all recipients of political donations will need to carry out enhanced Know Your Donor due diligence checks on donations over £11,180, including where relevant donations are received across different parts of a political party’s organisation.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what steps the Electoral Commission is taking to protect elections from foreign interference.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

Elections in the UK continue to be well-run, but the Electoral Commission has highlighted that the electoral system faces growing threats, including from foreign interference.

The Commission’s regulatory remit is focused on ensuring the safeguards against foreign interference in the political finance system are properly enforced. The Commission also makes recommendations to further strengthen the law, a number of which are being taken forward in the Representation of the People Bill.

The Commission also plays an important convening role, with partners, to enable the sharing of election-related security information with the electoral community, particularly in the run-up to elections. It is part of the Defending Democracy Taskforce and earlier this year it organised a briefing event for political parties with National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to discuss their guidance that covers protecting democratic institutions.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what provision is being made to ensure that 14 – 16 year olds are being equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make informed decisions when they vote.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Government is delivering its commitment to extend the right to vote to 16-and-17-year-olds through the Representation of the People Bill. The Bill was introduced on 12 February 2026 and is scheduled for Report Stage in the Commons on 14 July 2026. The Government intends for the franchise change to take effect ahead of scheduled polls in May 2028, subject to parliamentary passage.

Alongside legislating for the change, the Government recognises the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to participate in democratic life. We want young people to find their voice and exercise their right to vote. By engaging voters early, we will build the foundations for long-lasting participation in our democracy.

To support this, the Government will look for the earliest opportunity to make citizenship compulsory at key stages 1 and 2, with a focus on democracy and government, as well as media literacy.

The secondary curriculum will build on that foundation, ensuring all pupils receive an essential grounding in democracy, government and law.

The Government is also working with the Electoral Commission, the devolved governments and civil society to consider what additional measures can support schools, colleges, and youth groups to deliver practical voter and civic education.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress is being made on introduction of votes at 16.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Government is delivering its commitment to extend the right to vote to 16-and-17-year-olds through the Representation of the People Bill. The Bill was introduced on 12 February 2026 and is scheduled for Report Stage in the Commons on 14 July 2026. The Government intends for the franchise change to take effect ahead of scheduled polls in May 2028, subject to parliamentary passage.

Alongside legislating for the change, the Government recognises the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to participate in democratic life. We want young people to find their voice and exercise their right to vote. By engaging voters early, we will build the foundations for long-lasting participation in our democracy.

To support this, the Government will look for the earliest opportunity to make citizenship compulsory at key stages 1 and 2, with a focus on democracy and government, as well as media literacy.

The secondary curriculum will build on that foundation, ensuring all pupils receive an essential grounding in democracy, government and law.

The Government is also working with the Electoral Commission, the devolved governments and civil society to consider what additional measures can support schools, colleges, and youth groups to deliver practical voter and civic education.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help tackle foreign financial interference in domestic politics from (a) Open Society Foundations and (b) think tanks and academics funded by foreign governments.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The UK Government takes attempts by any country to intervene in democratic processes very seriously. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect our democratic and electoral processes, including from covert political funding.

The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats, including interference. Amongst other things, it is illegal for foreign states to engage in conduct that interferes with our elections and other political processes. The Act also provides for the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS). The scheme’s aims are twofold: firstly, to strengthen the resilience of the UK political system against covert foreign influence and, secondly, to provide greater assurance around the activities of specified foreign powers or entities who pose a national security risk to the UK.

In addition, as set out by the Security Minister in Parliament on 4 March, under the counter-political interference and espionage plan, officials are developing a programme of work to engage with the UK’s think-tanks and non-profit sector to discuss the threats that they face from foreign interference.

In December 2025, the Secretary of State commissioned former permanent secretary Philip Rycroft to lead an independent review into foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics. The government is committed to responding formally and in full to the Rycroft Review in advance of the Commons report stage of the Representation of the People Bill.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2026 to Question 184 on Countering Foreign Financial Influence and Interference in UK politics independent review, for what reason political parties were not consulted before the two recommendations were accepted; and whether political parties have been consulted since the review was published.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect our democratic and electoral processes, including malign information operations and covert political funding.

The Government’s decision to immediately accept two of the recommendations via amendments to the Representation of the People Bill: (1) an annual £100,000 cap on total political donations and regulated transactions made by each overseas elector; and (2) a moratorium on political donations made using crypto assets, of any amount, was made to strengthen protections against foreign financial interference in UK democracy and to maintain confidence in the transparency and integrity of political donations. We acted quickly to bring forward the provisions, to avoid a window of opportunity opening that would enable evasion by malign and hostile actors.

The Government is committed to responding formally and in full to the Rycroft Review in advance of the Commons report stage of the Representation of the People Bill. As part of this, the Government will continue to engage across the sector, including with political parties. We have had an initial discussion with representatives on the Electoral Commission’s Parliamentary Parties Panel and look forward to a further discussion in the near future.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the revenue test on the ability of political parties to wind down (a) holding and (b) property companies which are no longer trading and transfer the assets to (i) another accounting unit and (ii) the main party.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Representation of the People Bill strengthens the framework for company and Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) political donations by introducing new eligibility criteria designed to ensure that donors have a genuine connection to the UK and are carrying on legitimate business activity.

The revenue test is one of three tests applied to assess whether a company has the capacity to make a political donation, alongside requirements relating to headquarters and ownership or control.

The Government’s approach is intended to close off routes for shell or dormant companies to be used to channel funds into UK politics, while ensuring that legitimate political fundraising can continue across the system.

We continue to engage with the Electoral Commission and other stakeholders including political parties on the implementation of this measure.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government how they intend to use the powers that would be granted to them under clause 49 ('Power to obtain election-related information etc) of the Representation of the People Bill 2026; and whether they intend for these powers to include the creation of an authoritative central repository of election results.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Returning Officers are responsible for publishing election results in their local areas and the Government has no current plans to introduce a uniform approach to the publication of local election results by local authorities.

The intention of the power is to improve the availability and consistency of election related information. The Government is working with the Electoral Commission to consider how this power can best support practical improvements to elector-facing information.

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 9 June 2026, to Question 5423, on Political Parties: Finance, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the potential impact of (a) the new corporate donation provisions in the Representation of the People Bill and (b) the proposed sponsorship guidance issued by the Electoral Commission to the Parliamentary Parties Panel on the ability of (a) Facebook/Meta, (b) Google/Alphabet, (c) Uber and (d) the Bank of America to undertake sponsorship of party political conferences.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission identified variations in practice between parties in identifying and reporting sponsorship and has developed updated guidance to clarify this area of the law.

Sponsorship is a type of political donation with permissibility and reporting requirements. Payments linked to party conferences are considered sponsorship where one of the purposes of the payment could reasonably be seen to help with the costs of the conference.

The Commission has recently shared its draft guidance with the Westminster Parliamentary Parties’ Panel for comment. It is currently considering feedback from the parties, including how the guidance, alongside the company donation proposals in the Representation of the People Bill, could impact party conferences.

Last year, in its discussions with the UK Government, the Commission highlighted the need for the company donation clauses to be considered in relation to existing political finance laws, including specifically sponsorship of party conferences.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the system for postal voting.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is committed to strengthening the resilience of our electoral processes, including the postal voting system.

In its 2025 policy paper, here (17/07/2025), the Government set out a package of proposals intended to improve the overall resilience and responsiveness of postal voting following an extensive review. These include moving the postal vote application, and candidate nomination deadlines earlier in the election timetable. This will provide more time for the production, distribution and return of postal votes, benefitting both domestic and overseas postal voters. This package of measures is now being delivered as part of the Representation of the People Bill.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of existing political finance rules in preventing foreign interference and improper influence in UK elections.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The threat of foreign interference is evolving, while the current UK rules are no longer sufficient to address these risks. Our Representation of the People Bill introduces tougher rules on political donations to protect UK elections. Legislation will require enhanced checks by recipients of donations to consider the risk of political donations being illegitimate, ensure political donors declare any benefit or sources of funding connected to their donation and tighten the rules around company donations.

In addition, we commissioned Philip Rycroft to undertake an Independent Review into Countering Foreign Financial Influence and Interference in UK Politics. We are considering his recommendations and will issue a full response in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Electoral Commission on the potential impact of new rules on political advertising on political debate, satire or criticism during election campaigns.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Government is engaging regularly with the Electoral Commission as part of the development and implementation of reforms contained in the Representation of the People Bill.

These reforms strengthen the existing framework for electoral campaigning and political finance and do not introduce measures that restrict legitimate political campaigning.

The measures are designed to protect our democracy from foreign interference, to ensure the Electoral Commission has the powers needed to enforce the rules effectively, and to tackle the unacceptable harassment and intimidation faced by those standing for election.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which local authorities have been selected to participate in pilot schemes testing alternative voting arrangements under the Representation of the People Bill.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Representation of the People Bill is currently undergoing its parliamentary passage and does not include any power to pilot alternative voting arrangements. The Government worked with four local authorities - Cambridge, Milton Keynes, North Hertfordshire and Tunbridge Wells - to pilot flexible voting at the local elections in May, using powers conferred by the Representation of the People Act 2000.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the interaction of the provisions of the Representation of the People Bill on corporate donations with the proposed draft guidance by the Electoral Commission on conference sponsorship, and if he will make it his policy to update the Impact Assessment produced for the Bill in light of the Electoral Commission’s proposed changes.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) sets out a comprehensive framework governing political donations and controls on permissible sources of funding. This includes provisions relevant to sponsorship and other forms of support provided to political parties.

Conference-related activity, including sponsorship arrangements, forms part of this broader regulatory framework. Political parties are responsible for taking all reasonable steps to verify the source of funds and ensuring compliance with Electoral Commission guidance.

The Government keeps all aspects of political finance law under review to ensure the framework remains effective and proportionate and will consider changes to legislation where appropriate.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 20 April 2026, to Question 124771, on Political Parties: Donors, what assessment has been made of whether the revenue test will prevent the transfer of assets in defunct property companies or trusts.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The revenue test will form part of the new donor permissibility requirements for companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) under provisions included in the Representation of the People Bill. This test requires companies/LLPs to have sufficient revenue and has been introduced to ensure that companies/LLPs wishing to make a donation can demonstrate legitimate business activity. Companies that do not make sufficient revenue to fund their donation will not be eligible.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with cabinet colleagues concerning the alignment of Northern Ireland's political donations law with that of the rest of the United Kingdom.

Answered by Hilary Benn

The statutory framework for donations to political parties applies across the UK. This framework explicitly provides for Northern Ireland parties to receive donations from eligible people and organisations that are based in Ireland. Donations from Irish sources are subject to the same scrutiny by the Electoral Commission as donations from any other permissible donor.

The Government has set out its intention to introduce tougher rules on donations to political parties across the UK in the Representation of the People Bill. Changes to the political donations framework will apply in Northern Ireland.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received on the provisions of political finance laws on declarations of political gifts, sponsorship and donations to (a) hon. Members in the 12 month period before they are elected and (b) regulated donees who do not hold the status of an elected representative.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

Following the publication of the independent Rycroft Review, which made recommendations on strengthening the political finance framework, including in relation to donations made to individuals before they become Members of Parliament, these issues have been considered as part of wider public and parliamentary scrutiny.

There has also been debate on political donations and transparency during the passage of the Representation of the People Bill, during which a range of views have been expressed on the scope and application of the political finance framework, including in relation to regulated donees.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 1 June (HL Deb col 642), what is the evidential basis that there was extensive consultation with political parties during the course of the drawing up of the Representation of the People Bill.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has undertaken consultation on the Representation of the People Bill over the whole length of its development. In July 2025 the then-Minister for Homelessness and Democracy, the Hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney, wrote to all frontbenchers inviting them to meet with her about the recently published Strategy for Elections, which forms the basis for the Bill and hosted discussions on the document open to all Members of both Houses.

Since then, the Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy has consulted with political parties throughout the passage of the Bill, including inviting frontbenchers to meet with her to discuss the Bill upon its introduction in the Other Place. Officials from my department have also met with the Parliamentary Parties Panel during the development of the Bill, most recently on 2 June.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the level of the threat posed by Russia to UK elections.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Government is committed to upholding and strengthening UK democracy by protecting against foreign interference, improving political transparency, adding tougher checks for donations and closing loopholes by reinforcing electoral legislation against foreign interference.

The Joint Election Security and Preparedness (JESP) Unit is a permanent function which sits jointly between Cabinet Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), dedicated to protecting UK elections and referendums and coordinating work across government to respond to issues including protective security, cyber threats and mis and disinformation, as they emerge.

Through the Representation of the People Bill we are introducing tougher rules on political donations to protect UK elections, striking the right balance between safeguarding against foreign interference whilst making sure that legitimate donors can continue to fund electoral campaigns. These changes will effectively meet an evolving and sophisticated threat to ensure the UK is not vulnerable to illicit political donations from abroad.

Additionally, the Government welcomes Philip Rycroft’s comprehensive, thoughtful and well-reasoned report on foreign financial interference in our democracy. We are taking immediate steps to implement his recommendations for a cap on donations made by overseas electors and for a moratorium on donations made via crypto currency, which we will implement through amendments to the Representation of the People Bill, currently before the House of Commons. The Government supports the wider conclusions drawn by Mr Rycroft on the risks in our system and will reflect swiftly on how best to take these forward, given their more technical nature. We will respond, formally and in full, in due course.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the financial controls in place in all UK political parties are fit for purpose.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government recognises the vulnerability of the UK to malign interference in its political finance system, and is committed to strengthening the rules governing political donations. The Representation of the People Bill introduces a comprehensive package of reforms to address these risks, including Know Your Donor requirements, tighter rules on company donations to ensure a genuine connection to the UK, enhanced transparency around the source of funds, and stronger enforcement provisions

These measures build on the findings of the independent Rycroft Review, which identified risks of foreign financial influence and areas where safeguards could be strengthened. The Government is working through the Review’s recommendations as part of its wider approach to strengthening the regime.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his proposals to require candidates to provide identification to nominate, whether this will require the same identification requirements as needed to vote in person at a polling station.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

Following Royal Assent for the Representation of the People Bill 2026, the Government will bring forward regulations in due course to set out the detailed provisions.

Found: Representation of the People Bill: HL Bill 47 of 2026–27

Political donations and campaign finance regulation

Compulsory voting and civic education

We call on the UK Government to give Cornish, Irish, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh and BSL the same official language protections that exist in the constituent nations of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Found: We are concerned that Amendment NC107 to the Representation of the People Bill could criminalise election

Found: The Representation of the People Bill was introduced to Parliament on 12 February 2026 to deliver the

Found: One respondent also argued that, as 16- and 17-year-olds will be enfranchised by the Representation of the People Bill

Found: recommendations, and a head of Commons Rep ort Stage, the Government has tabled amendments to the Representation of the People Bill

Found: parties, to explain how we expect these measures to operate under our amendments to the Representation of the People Bill

Found: This will strengthen the rules already set out in the Representation of the People Bill, which outlines

Found: We have now published our landmark Representation of the People Bill and will progress it through Parliament

Found: We have now published our landmark Representation of the People Bill and will progress it through Parliament

Found:

Found: We do so ahead of the Commons Report Stage of the Representation of the People Bill because this Government

Found: We do so ahead of the Commons Report Stage of the Representation of the People Bill because this Government

Found: Bill • Pension Schemes Bill • Public Office (Accountability) Bill • Railways Bill • Representation of the People Bill

Found: and Local Government) • reforming devolution and voting, including introducing the Representation of the People Bill

Found: The debate on 2 July was especially apposite given the Government will bring the Representation of the People Bill

Found: One respondent also argued that, as 16- and 17-year-olds will be enfranchised by the Representation of the People Bill

Found: Representation of the People Bill Letter from the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, 21

Found: Response on the Representation of the People Bill Legislative Consent Memorandum Letter from the Minister

Found: Representation of the People Bill Legislative Consent Memorandum Letter from the Convener to the Minister

Found: Representation of the People Bill Legislative Consent Memorandum Letter from the Convener to the Minister

Found: example of this is the memorandum lodged by the Scottish Government in relation to the Representation of the People Bill

Found: (Network and Information Systems) Bill, the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, the Representation of the People Bill

Found: Officials are also liaising with UK Government on the Representation of the People Bill 2026, which

Found: The Representation of the People Bill is progressing through the UK Parliament.