Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Accepted
We agree with the Electoral Commission that each of the four governments of the UK...
Recommendation
We agree with the Electoral Commission that each of the four governments of the UK should amend the rules for reporting spending to provide greater transparency on the money being spent on digital campaigns in their jurisdictions. There should be a separate category for digital campaigning to be included in spending returns. We recommend that this is implemented before the next General Election. (Paragraph 88) The Work of the Electoral Commission 43 Governance and accountability
Government Response Summary
The government states that spending on digital campaigning at an election must already be reported and is covered by the current wording in the law, and provides an important level of transparency about campaign spending.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring appropriate transparency in relation to online campaigning, which is why spending on digital campaigning at an election must already be reported. The current wording in the law already ensures that all types of advertising are covered, regardless of the medium or tools used. Registered political parties, recognised third parties, and candidates are already required to report money they spend during elections and provide invoices for payments over a certain amount—including on digital campaigning. These returns are then made available for public scrutiny, which provides an important level of transparency about campaign spending. The Government keeps the political finance framework under review to better ensure that it reflects modern campaigning practices and emerging risks. However, it is important to consider the risks of making express provision for digital campaigning in spending returns, which are already covered by the broader category “advertising”, in order to avoid unintended consequences of omitting certain types of spending. Governance and Accountability