Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 62
The Committee recognises the rationale behind advocating an expansion of the Electoral Commission’s investigatory and...
Conclusion
The Committee recognises the rationale behind advocating an expansion of the Electoral Commission’s investigatory and enforcement powers to provide maximum transparency to voters, incentivise regulatory compliance, and increase the pace of investigations and enforcement action. However, we believe more evidence is needed to ensure that any expanded powers for the Electoral Commission, such as powers to monitor and investigate in real-time and impose civil sanctions for breaches of candidate finance law, would not place disproportionate burdens on the largely voluntary workforce that support political campaigns.
Government Response Summary
The government will consider the committee's comments about the Strategy and Policy Statement alongside the views of statutory consultees and remains committed to ensuring that electoral law is fit for purpose.
Paragraph Reference:
62
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
We note the Committee’s recommendation to retain in the final draft of the Statement guidance relating to the need for the Commission to be sensitive and proportionate to the voluntary nature of much of political parties’ infrastructure in the discharge of its relevant regulatory functions (paragraph 20(a)). We will consider the Committee’s comments about the Statement alongside the views of statutory consultees. On consolidation, and as outlined earlier in our response, we remain committed to ensuring that our electoral law is fit for purpose, now and into the future. The Government’s view is that it is vital that the civil sanctioning regime strikes the right balance between providing an effective deterrent while not being disproportionate to the point where it risks causing a chilling effect on participation and campaigning, especially given the largely voluntary workforce that support political campaigns.