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

To ask His Majesty's Government on what dates were the first and last payments they agreed for each of the past five sets of elections, excluding by-elections, for which returning officers received payments from the Consolidated Fund.

This Government has not agreed any of the initial payments for the last five sets of elections funded from the Consolidated Fund. However, it will be responsible for settling the claims for both the 2024 Police and Crime Commissioner elections and the 2024 UK parliamentary general election. The timing of the final payments will depend on when responses to any queries for the last outstanding claims for each poll are submitted and payments settled.

Payments to statutorily independent Returning Officers (ROs) for UK parliamentary and Police and Crime Commissioner polls are made from the Consolidated Fund. An advance payment – typically 75% of the estimated cost – is issued in advance of the election, meaning ROs are not required to meet election costs upfront or wait a considerable length of time for the majority of the funding. The final payment reflects the balance due, following scrutiny and agreement of the expenses claim.

The table below sets out the dates of the first and last payments agreed for each of the last five sets of elections, based on records held by the Department. These figures relate to claims made by ROs for reimbursement of properly incurred costs.