Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of including a representative of the Electoral Commission on the defending democracy taskforce.

The Defending Democracy Taskforce is an enduring government function which seeks to protect the democratic integrity of the UK by reducing the threat of foreign interference.

It is a cross-departmental and inter-agency initiative and has been engaging, and will continue to engage, with the Electoral Commission as a key partner and the independent body in ensuring safe and secure elections. This engagement is at Ministerial and official level.