3rd Report - Political finance and foreign influence

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.

The government agrees on the vital need for appropriate structures to allow enforcement agencies to operate effectively. It states that the establishment of the new National Police Service provides an opportunity to strengthen capabilities and will consider how different functions could be brought together through forthcoming reforms.

The government agrees on the need for policing to have specialist expertise, coordination, and national capacity for investigating political finance. It will use the establishment of the new National Police Service as an opportunity to strengthen and formalise capabilities, considering how functions could be brought together, but does not commit to establishing a specific unit.

The government agrees on the need for effective structures and resources and will consider strengthening and formalising capabilities, including how functions could be brought together, as part of establishing the new National Police Service.

The government wholeheartedly agrees with the committee's conclusion and has accepted the recommendation to introduce an immediate moratorium on cryptoasset donations to political parties, effective from March 25, 2026, until sufficient safeguards are in place.

The government wholeheartedly agrees and has accepted a recommendation from the Rycroft Review to introduce an immediate moratorium on cryptoasset donations, which will apply from March 25, 2026.

The government wholeheartedly accepts the recommendation to introduce a binding moratorium on crypto donations, confirming that it will apply to all such donations from 25 March 2026, with a 30-day period for returning or forfeiting previous donations.

The government agrees with the concern about a loophole in corporate donations allowing multiple contributions and has accepted recommendations to fix it. It is introducing a new requirement for donors to submit a declaration to ensure companies do not evade rules on donation limits.

The government agrees with the concern regarding corporate donation limits and has accepted in full a similar recommendation from the Rycroft review, also introducing a declaration requirement for donors above a set threshold.

The government agrees with the concern regarding corporate donation limits and has accepted a similar Rycroft review recommendation in full, also introducing a declaration requirement for donors above a set threshold to prevent evasion.

The government commits to commencing Section 54A PPERA before the end of this Parliament, introducing a declaration requirement, a new due diligence requirement, and amending the threshold to prevent foreign or impermissible donations.

The government agrees with the objective and will commit to commencing Section 54A PPERA before the end of Parliament, introducing a declaration requirement for donations above a set threshold, and amending the S54A threshold.

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.

The government agrees with the objective and will commence Section 54A PPERA before the end of Parliament, introducing a declaration requirement for donations with criminal liability for false declarations, and a new due diligence requirement for donors.

The government agrees with the objective and will commence Section 54A PPERA before the end of Parliament, introducing a declaration requirement for donations above a set threshold, establishing criminal liability for false declarations, and amending the S54A threshold.

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.

The government agrees with the concern and will introduce a £100,000 annual cap on donations from overseas electors, effective from March 2026, alongside a minimum residency period for individuals returning to the UK.

The government acknowledges the importance and confirms it is taking forward measures through the Representation of the People Bill to extend the Electoral Commission's data sharing and receiving powers. It states it will amend the Bill accordingly, though some tools require further consideration.

The government recognizes the importance of equipping the Electoral Commission and will extend its powers to require information disclosure outside of formal investigations and enable information sharing with relevant public authorities.

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.

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.

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 Service.

The government recognizes the importance of adequate resourcing but does not consider an annual resourcing update to the Committee the most appropriate mechanism, suggesting broader system-wide reviews instead.