Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the period to return deposits to one calendar week after the date of a poll.

Currently, Returning Officers at UK Parliamentary elections are required to return deposits no later than the next working day after that on which the result of the election is declared. We are not seeking to amend this requirement at present which is set out in primary legislation. The Government is continuing to consider how to improve electoral processes, and will keep this matter under review.