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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

2 items
1 Recommendation 3rd Report - Political finance and fore… Deferred

The risk of foreign influence in the UK’s political finance system is real.

The risk of foreign influence in the UK’s political finance system is real. We believe the threat is likely to grow out to the next election, particularly as the value of influencing the UK’s position on international policy increases. The lack of adequate safeguards means that it is not possible … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the report's concerns and states that its comprehensive response, detailing actions to strengthen safeguards against foreign interference in political finance, has been published in response to the Rycroft Review.
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Cabinet Office
16 Recommendation 3rd Report - Political finance and fore… Deferred

The Government should amend the Representation of the People Bill to increase maximum custodial sentences...

The Government should amend the Representation of the People Bill to increase maximum custodial sentences to three years for the most serious breaches of political finance laws involving impermissible foreign money. This would improve deterrence and also enable law enforcement to deploy more intrusive investigatory powers, which are currently curtailed … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of the issue but states that increasing maximum custodial sentences raises complex issues that cannot be fully developed within the Representation of the People Bill's timeframes, committing instead to further analysis and targeted consultation.
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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…