Question

To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the appropriateness of the Commission's use of civil sanctions for the late submission of political parties' quarterly reports.

The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 requires registered political parties to report cash and non-cash donations and borrowing to the Electoral Commission on a quarterly basis. Parliament made it an offence to deliver, without reasonable excuse, donation reports that are inaccurate or miss the statutory deadline. Parliament also gave the Commission investigation and sanction powers for these, and other, offences. The Commission investigates and where appropriate sanctions inaccurate or late donation reports in line with its Enforcement Policy.