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 issued to political (a) parties, (b) agents and (c) candidates on the (i) use of battlebuses in regulated election period and (ii) circumstances in which their use should be declared as a local candidate expense.

The Commission has published guidance for parties and candidates and agents on spending by the party to promote a candidate during the candidate regulated period.

The guidance sets out how to identify whether an activity promotes a candidate, and if so, how this should be reported. In most cases, activity promoting a candidate must be reported on the candidate return, either as notional spending or as spending authorised by the candidate. In the case of a battlebus visit, this will depend on the content of the event and the role of the candidate or agent in directing, encouraging, or authorising the spending.