Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has given to Parliamentary candidates and agents on whether Representation of the People Act candidate returns must provide invoices for (a) directly incurred expenditure and (b) expenditure paid for through their political party.

The Commission has produced guidance on the records a candidate should keep in order to comply with their reporting responsibilities.

Candidates need to provide invoices for payments they, their agent or anyone authorised to spend on their behalf make. In the case of a political party spending on their behalf, a declaration of the value of the spending must be made.

The Commission encourages candidates to include evidence of the value of notional spending in order to provide greater transparency for voters.