The Work of the Electoral Commission
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Closed
Inquiry
The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up under statute to oversee elections, regulate political finance in the UK and who work to promote public confidence in the democratic process. The Committee’s predecessor recommended that it “should carry out an inquiry into the role and effectiveness of the Electoral …
Read more
14
Recommendations
17
Conclusions
1
Report
7
Oral sessions
5
Letters
7
Events
Activity timeline 22 events
9 Mar
2023
2023
19 Jan
2023
2023
15 Nov
2022
2022
1 Nov
2022
2022
20 Oct
2022
2022
Report published
20 Oct
2022
2022
7 Dec
2021
2021
Oral evidence
7 Dec
2021
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
20 Jul
2021
2021
Oral evidence
20 Jul
2021
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
29 Jun
2021
2021
Oral evidence
29 Jun
2021
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 7 sessions
7 Dec 2021
View on parliament.uk
The work of the Electoral Commission
Bob Posner · The Electoral Commission
John Pullinger CB · Electoral Commission
20 Jul 2021
View on parliament.uk
The work of the Electoral Commission
Chloe Hardy · Sheila McKechnie Foundation
Chris Weavers · NASUWT The Teachers' Union
Dave Timms · Friends of the Earth
Dr Jess Garland · Electoral Reform Society
Dr Rowan Popplewell · Bond
Peter Geoghegan · openDemocracy
The Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts CBE · House of Lords
29 Jun 2021
View on parliament.uk
The work of the Electoral Commission
Alan Mabbutt · Conservative Party
Amy Killen · Women’s Equality Party
Andrew Whyte · Labour Party
Geraint Day · Plaid Cymru
Jon Nott · Green Party of England and Wales
Richard Tice · Reform UK
Scott Martin · Scottish National Party
The Rt Hon. the Lord Tyler · Liberal Democrats
25 May 2021
View on parliament.uk
The Work of the Electoral Commission; The Work of the electoral Commision
Alan Halsall · Vote Leave
Barry Ryan · Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage of the Republic of Ireland
Dr Alan Renwick · Constitution Unit, University College London
Paul Comer · Britain Stronger in Europe
Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC
Scott Martin · Scottish National Party
The Rt Hon. the Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston
27 Apr 2021
View on parliament.uk
the Work of the Electoral Commision
Dr Holly Ann Garnett
Dr Theresa Reidy
Professor Pippa Norris
9 Mar 2021
View on parliament.uk
The Work of the Electoral Commission
Dr Alistair Clark
Dr Kate Dommett
Professor Toby James · University of East Anglia
2 Jul 2020
View on parliament.uk
The Work of The Electoral Commission
Ailsa Irvine · Electoral Commission
Bob Posner · The Electoral Commission
Louise Edwards · Electoral Commission
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second Report - The Work of the Electoral Commission | HC 462 | 20 Oct 2022 | 31 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
19 results
1
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
It has been twenty years since the Electoral Commission was established and we believe it...
It has been twenty years since the Electoral Commission was established and we believe it still plays a fundamental role in overseeing free and fair elections and referendums and regulating political finance, and should continue to do so. However, its …
Read more
Government Response
The Government agrees that simplifying and consolidating electoral law would be desirable and remains committed to ensuring that electoral law is fit for purpose, but states the process will be a long-term project.
2
Recommendation
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
The Government should prioritise implementing the Law Commission’s recommendations to rationalise electoral law and immediately...
The Government should prioritise implementing the Law Commission’s recommendations to rationalise electoral law and immediately start work towards setting out a long-term strategy, with cross-party support, ahead of the next General Election.
Government Response
The Government agrees that simplifying and consolidating electoral law would be desirable and remains committed to ensuring that electoral law is fit for purpose, but notes it will be a long-term project that will take significant consideration and policy development and is not something to rush.
5
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
The Electoral Commission should demonstrate greater awareness of the specific nature of referendums, particularly the...
The Electoral Commission should demonstrate greater awareness of the specific nature of referendums, particularly the short-lived existence of many campaign groups and be sensitive to the stressful nature of the duties required to be fulfilled by Responsible Persons or other …
Read more
Government Response
The government notes that this recommendation is addressed to the Electoral Commission.
7
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
The Electoral Commission invests significant resources into providing guidance to candidates, parties, and non-party campaigners...
The Electoral Commission invests significant resources into providing guidance to candidates, parties, and non-party campaigners to support their understanding of complex legislation, and this is largely welcomed by those it regulates. However, as a matter of priority, further action is …
Read more
Government Response
The government will consider expanding the Strategy and Policy Statement to specify parties and campaigners of all sizes when referencing the importance of the Commission engaging with stakeholders.
8
Recommendation
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
The Committee welcomes the proposed steps from the Electoral Commission to improve guidance provision, including...
The Committee welcomes the proposed steps from the Electoral Commission to improve guidance provision, including a strategy to support smaller parties, reviewing response times, exploring the viability of ‘account managers’, increasing consultation with parties and campaigners on draft guidance, and …
Read more
Government Response
The government notes the recommendations are primarily addressed to the Electoral Commission, and they will consider the suggestion to expand the Strategy and Policy Statement to specify parties and campaigners of all sizes, and make any changes deemed necessary before laying the draft Statement before Parliament.
10
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
The Committee recognises the complexity of the dual regimes for candidates under the Representation of...
The Committee recognises the complexity of the dual regimes for candidates under the Representation of the People Act 1983 and parties and campaigners under the Political Parties, Elections, and Referendums Act 2000. Consolidating the law into one regulatory framework should …
Read more
Government Response
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.
11
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
The Committee recognises the rationale behind advocating an expansion of the Electoral Commission’s investigatory and...
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 …
Read more
Government Response
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.
12
Recommendation
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
We welcome the Government’s view in the draft Strategy and Policy Statement for the Electoral...
We welcome the Government’s view in the draft Strategy and Policy Statement for the Electoral Commission that the Commission’s enforcement of political finance rules should be proportionate to the voluntary nature of political parties’ infrastructure. We recommend this is maintained …
Read more
Government Response
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.
13
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
The Committee notes the concerns from non-party campaigners that the lower tier of registration with...
The Committee notes the concerns from non-party campaigners that the lower tier of registration with the Electoral Commission, introduced under the Elections Act 2022, may have the unintended consequence of deterring political campaigning by small groups that lack the resources …
Read more
Government Response
The Government recognises the important role third-party campaigners play in the political process. It notes the increased transparency is important, but it should not act as a barrier to campaigners’ participation and that the new “lower tier” of third-party campaigner registration has been designed to be proportionate to the level of campaign spending and will place a minimal regulatory burden on campaigners.
17
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
Although the Electoral Commission has an overall strong record in relation to monitoring, investigations and...
Although the Electoral Commission has an overall strong record in relation to monitoring, investigations and enforcement, we were concerned by the individual cases of extremely lengthy investigations and poor communication raised throughout this inquiry. The Electoral Commission has said it …
Read more
Government Response
The Government agrees it is important to resolve investigations within a reasonable time period and will continue to keep under review aligning the PPERA regime with the RPA regime.
18
Recommendation
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
We agree with the Committee on Standards in Public Life that investigations under the Political...
We agree with the Committee on Standards in Public Life that investigations under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 should be opened within 12 months of the date of the potential offence being committed or, from the date …
Read more
Government Response
The Government agrees with the importance of resolving investigations within a reasonable time period and will keep under review aligning the PPERA regime with the RPA regime, considering evidence and findings from the CSPL Report.
19
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
We believe the Electoral Commission should be sensitive to the role of volunteers in campaigns...
We believe the Electoral Commission should be sensitive to the role of volunteers in campaigns and the potential for inadvertent reporting errors to occur. We welcome the Electoral Commission’s proposed changes to the Political Finance Online platform to support individuals …
Read more
Government Response
The government considers the existing levels of penalties available to the Commission suitable and states that any extension to the Commission’s fining powers would need to be considered carefully to assess the necessity and proportionality.
21
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
Digital technology is allowing more parties, campaigners, and voters than ever to participate in political...
Digital technology is allowing more parties, campaigners, and voters than ever to participate in political debate. While we view this as a positive step for democracy, we must recognise that it has created a more complex regulatory environment for the …
Read more
Government Response
The Government acknowledges the importance of cooperation between national regulatory authorities and welcomes the steps taken by social media companies to create “advert libraries” and institute advert labelling on political advertising but does not propose mandating advert libraries.
26
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
The Electoral Commission has an effective governance structure.
The Electoral Commission has an effective governance structure. Commissioners, including those who are nominated by political parties, play a useful role in the governance of the organisation. However, this system only works if Commissioners abide by the clear standards of …
Read more
Government Response
The government notes that this recommendation is addressed at the Electoral Commission.
27
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
It is vital that the impartiality and independence of the Electoral Commission is maintained at...
It is vital that the impartiality and independence of the Electoral Commission is maintained at all times. Commissioners must act in accordance with the Board Code of Conduct and refrain from expressing any personal opinions that may suggest political bias. …
Read more
Government Response
The government notes that this recommendation is addressed at the Electoral Commission.
28
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
The Committee believes that periodic parliamentary scrutiny of the work of the Electoral Commission, in...
The Committee believes that periodic parliamentary scrutiny of the work of the Electoral Commission, in the form of inquiries such as this, dovetails effectively with the ongoing oversight by the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission.
Government Response
The government defends the Strategy and Policy Statement, stating it will not undermine the Electoral Commission's statutory duties and welcomes engagement from stakeholders and parliamentarians.
29
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
Operational independence is a fundamental aspect of the Electoral Commission.
Operational independence is a fundamental aspect of the Electoral Commission. The Government’s ability to set the strategic direction of the Electoral Commission through the issuance of a Strategy and Policy Statement, as set out in the Elections Act 2022, significantly …
Read more
Government Response
The government welcomes the engagement of the statutory consultees and parliamentarians with the draft Statement through the consultation period and states the draft Statement will be scrutinised according to the requirements set out in the Elections Act 2022.
30
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
We welcome the timetable provided by the Government to scrutinise the draft Strategy and Policy...
We welcome the timetable provided by the Government to scrutinise the draft Strategy and Policy Statement and recommend a commitment is made that the same timeframe should apply to future Strategy and Policy Statements.
Government Response
The government describes the scrutiny process for the Strategy and Policy Statement, stating it will be subject to approval of the UK Parliament and consultation with statutory consultees. However, they note that the duration of the consultation period with statutory consultees will be set on the basis of what is considered appropriate at the time.
31
Recommendation
Acknowledged
Second Report - The Work of the El…
The Committee welcomes that the Strategy and Policy Statement for the Electoral Commission will be...
The Committee welcomes that the Strategy and Policy Statement for the Electoral Commission will be subject to super-affirmative parliamentary procedure, in line with our previous recommendation. The Government must now ensure a motion is tabled for the draft Statement to …
Read more
Government Response
The government describes the scrutiny process for the Strategy and Policy Statement, stating it will be subject to approval of the UK Parliament and consultation with statutory consultees. However, they note that the duration of the consultation period with statutory consultees will be set on the basis of what is considered appropriate at the time.
Government Response AI assessment · 31 of 14 classified
Accepted
5
Acknowledged
19
Deferred
2
Rejected
3
Total
14 recs + 17 conclusions
Correspondence 5 letters
15 Nov 2022
From committee
Letter to Shaun McNally, CEO, Electoral Commission on the work to replace the Electoral Commission's online political finance system, dated 8.11.22
Parliament page
1 Nov 2022
To committee
Letter from Shaun McNally CBE, CEO The Electoral Commmission on the work to replace the Commission’s online political finance system, dated 24.10.22
Parliament page
20 Oct 2022
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Andrew Stephenson MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State on Strategy and Policy Statement for the Electoral Commission, dated 18.10.22
Parliament page
2 Sep 2020
To committee
Letter from Bob Posner, Electoral Commission on follow-up evidence after 2.7.20 oral evidence session, dated 18.8.20
Parliament page
21 Jul 2020
From committee
Letter to Bob Posner, Chief Executive, Electoral Commission on follow-up written evidence after the oral evidence session on 2 July, dated 21 .7.2020
Parliament page