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Select Committee · National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)

Defending Democracy

Status: Open Opened: 24 Feb 2025 20 recommendations 3 conclusions 1 report
Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
3rd Report - Political finance and foreign influence HC 720 18 Mar 2026 23 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
13 Recommendation 3rd Report - Political finance and fore… Accepted in Part

The alternative version of Section 54A should reduce the declaration threshold of funds received in...

The alternative version of Section 54A should reduce the declaration threshold of funds received in connection with a donation to £500. This would limit the risk of foreign money being channelled through permissible donors. (Recommendation, Paragraph 93) Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the objective and will amend Section 54A PPERA's threshold to align with a new declaration requirement for donations above a set amount, but does not commit to the specific £500 threshold.
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Cabinet Office
20 Recommendation 3rd Report - Political finance and fore… Accepted in Part

The Government should create a power for the Electoral Commission to compel financial institutions to...

The Government should create a power for the Electoral Commission to compel financial institutions to provide information relating to the source funds used in regulated political donations and regulated campaign spending. This power should also apply to crypto currency platforms. This power should be deployable where the Electoral Commission has … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government will extend the Electoral Commission's powers to require information disclosure outside formal investigations and enable information sharing with public authorities, but proposals for tools like Unexplained Wealth Orders require careful consideration and further engagement.
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Cabinet Office
21 Recommendation 3rd Report - Political finance and fore… Accepted in Part

The Electoral Commission and law enforcement should have powers to receive relevant information from HM...

The Electoral Commission and law enforcement should have powers to receive relevant information from HM Revenue and Customs in connection with an investigation into suspicions of foreign money. We further recommend exploring options to make better use of existing powers, for example deploying Unexplained Wealth Orders in relation to suspicions … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government will amend the Representation of the People Bill to enable the Electoral Commission to share and receive information from relevant public authorities, including HMRC, to support effective enforcement. However, proposals for Unexplained Wealth Orders require further detailed consideration with stakeholders.
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Cabinet Office
22 Recommendation 3rd Report - Political finance and fore… Accepted in Part

The Government’s legislative changes will only be meaningful if the Electoral Commission, police and National...

The Government’s legislative changes will only be meaningful if the Electoral Commission, police and National Crime Agency are adequately resourced to enforce the rules. (Conclusion, Paragraph 123)

Government response AI summary
The government recognises the importance of adequately resourcing enforcement agencies but rejects the proposed mechanism of formalised annual resourcing updates to the Committee. It states that resourcing questions will be addressed as part of broader, system-wide reviews during the establishment of the new National Police …
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Cabinet Office

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
9 Feb 2026 Graeme Biggar CBE · National Crime Agency, Rachael Herbert · National Crime Agency View ↗
12 Jan 2026 Dr Sam Power · University of Bristol, Duncan Hames · Transparency International UK, Natasha Powell · Kraken Digital Asset Exchange, Tom Keatinge · RUSI View ↗
8 Sep 2025 Dr Susan Hawley · Spotlight on Corruption, Ian Taylor · CryptoUK, Jackie Killeen · Electoral Commission, Peter Geoghegan · openDemocracy, Vijay Rangarajan · Electoral Commission View ↗
17 Mar 2025 Dan Jarvis MP · Home Office, Nanyamka Brown · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Shaun Hipgrave · Home Office, The Baroness Jones of Whitchurch · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology View ↗

Who gave evidence

15 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Dan Jarvis MP · Minister for Security Home Office 1
Dr Sam Power University of Bristol 1
Dr Susan Hawley · Executive Director Spotlight on Corruption 1
Duncan Hames · Director of Policy and Programmes Transparency International UK 1
Graeme Biggar CBE · Director General National Crime Agency 1
Ian Taylor · Board Director CryptoUK 1
Jackie Killeen · Director of Electoral Administration and Regulati… Electoral Commission 1
Nanyamka Brown · Deputy Director for Information Threats and Secur… Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 1
Natasha Powell · Chief Compliance Officer UK Kraken Digital Asset Exchange 1
Peter Geoghegan · Investigations Editor openDemocracy 1
Rachael Herbert · Director of the National Economic Crime Centre National Crime Agency 1
Shaun Hipgrave · Director Protect and Prepare, Homeland Security G… Home Office 1
The Baroness Jones of Whitchurch · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Fu… Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 1
Tom Keatinge · Director RUSI 1
Vijay Rangarajan · Chief Executive Electoral Commission 1

Correspondence

11 letters
DateDirectionTitle
23 Jun 2026 — The Electoral Commission's response to the Committee's report on political fina…
16 Mar 2026 To cttee Response from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Governm…
16 Mar 2026 From cttee Letter to the Commissioner, Metropolitan Police relating to Political finance, …
24 Feb 2026 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Lo…
9 Feb 2026 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive, Electoral Commissio…
21 Oct 2025 — Correspondence from Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister relating to the Defend…
17 Jul 2025 — Correspondence to Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister relating to the Defendin…
1 May 2025 From cttee Letter to Ofcom on Defending Democracy and the Online Safety Act, dated 28 Marc…
1 May 2025 To cttee Letter from Ofcom on Defending Democracy and the Online Safety Act, dated 23 Ap…
1 May 2025 — Correspondence to Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister following oral evidence …
1 May 2025 — Correspondence from Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister following oral evidenc…