Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will review the process of recording candidates' expenses including the consideration of the return to, and subsequent reporting of, expenses to returning officers and the possible provision of online reporting and inspection mechanisms.

The Government is clear that spending by candidates at elections should continue to be transparent. We will discuss with returning officers and the Electoral Commission how processes relating to the return and publication of spending returns could be improved. The development of online reporting and inspection is likely incur substantial cost as an online platform would need to be developed, established and maintained.