Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many and what proportion of local authority returning officers have sent to the Electoral Commission copies of Parliamentary candidates’ election expense returns from the 2024 general election under section 87A of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

The Electoral Commission has received candidate spending returns from returning officers for all 650 constituencies contested at the 2024 UK parliamentary general election. To support transparency, the Commission plans to publish headline spending and donations totals from the most recent general election in due course.

The Commission has a legal remit to secure compliance with the rules on candidates’ spending and donations, but has no role or sanctioning powers in respect of breaches. Enforcing the Representation of the People Act 1983 is the responsibility of the police.