Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how long the Electoral Commission will hold data from proposed returns under the Representation of the People Bill; and whether that data will be (a) published online and (b) archived.

The Representation of the People Bill proposes extending the Electoral Commission’s remit to include enforcement of the candidate spending regime. The Bill would require candidates to submit spending returns to the Commission and to Returning Officers.

Returning Officers will continue to make spending returns available for a two-year period. The Commission will publish spending returns through its Political Finance Online system, beyond the two-year retention period. This will provide important transparency for voters.