Committee on Standards in Public Life: Review of the Electoral Commission
R11-3
Published January 2007
Response position and delivery status are recorded separately. Acceptance does not establish implementation.
Recommendation (the Committee's words)
The Electoral Commission should establish a compliance unit, separate from the administration of the regulations, which can take prompt investigative action, using the powers provided in PPERA following information received either externally or internally of possible breaches of the regulatory framework. If necessary the results of any investigation should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service. Unless there is evidence of breaches of the law, other than PPERA, the Committee would question the need for the Commission to refer any such investigations to the police.
From: Committee on Standards in Public Life, Review of the Electoral Commission, January 2007
Government response
Government response (the government's words)
Sir Hayden Phillips reported in March 2007, outlining general principles upon which a reformed system of party funding might be agreed. Inter-party talks to discuss this further were suspended at the end of October as it was not possible to reach consensus. The Government is now considering what steps to take next. The Government agrees however with the general thrust of recommendations 2-8 above which will assist it greatly in its further consideration of these issues. The Government believes it is important for all political parties to understand the financial regulations under which they operate and to know that they will be enforced fairly and without favour, and agrees that the future role of the Commission must be that of an effective regulator.
From: HM Government. Source document ↗