Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 14 of the Government’s Civil Society Strategy, what steps her Department has taken to work with (a) civil society, (b) the Electoral Commission and (c) the charity commission to explore what non-legislative steps could strengthen civil society’s confidence in speaking out.

The Civil Society Strategy sets out our vision for the government’s work with and for civil society over the next 10 years and beyond. The Strategy recognised the need for the government to work with civil society, the Electoral Commission, and the Charity Commission to develop non-legislative steps to increase the confidence in civil society to speak out.

In September, the Electoral Commission released new guidance to clarify rules on charity campaigning spending in the lead up to unscheduled general elections so they could campaign with confidence all year round.

The Electoral Commission developed this guidance following engagement with charities, the Charity Commission and government. The new guidance has been welcomed by charities.