Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Metropolitan Police plan to pursue an investigation into the alleged fraud committed by Vote Leave during the EU referendum 2016.

Following the conclusion of an investigation into the campaign spending of Vote Leave and other campaigners during the 2016 EU referendum, the Electoral Commission made two referrals to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) regarding potential criminal offences under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. The first referral was received by the MPS on 11 May 2018 and the second was received on 17 July 2018. On 7 September 2018 the MPS received over 2000 documents from the Electoral Commission in relation to both referrals.

The decision to launch an investigation is entirely an operational matter for the police. It would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment on operational decisions made by the MPS concerning the Electoral Commission’s referrals.