Returning Officers: Finance

(asked on 14th July 2026) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 16 July 2025 (HL9088), whether any payments to Returning Officers for costs related to the (1) 2024 Police and Crime Commissioner elections, and (2) 2024 UK parliamentary general election, are yet to be settled; and if so, how many such payments are outstanding, and for which election.


Answered by
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage Portrait
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This question was answered on 28th July 2026

The settlement of election claims depends on a range of factors, including the timing of claim submissions and the resolution of queries arising during the scrutiny process.

As of 15 July 2026, approximately 125 claims relating to the 2024 Police and Crime Commissioner elections and 600 claims relating to the 2024 UK Parliamentary General Election remain outstanding.

As set out previously, Returning Officers are not required to meet election costs upfront or wait until claims are settled before receiving funding. An advance payment, typically equivalent to 75% of the estimated cost of the poll, is issued ahead of the election.

The Department continues to work with Returning Officers to resolve outstanding queries and settle claims as promptly as possible.

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