HL Deb 30 January 2001 vol 621 cc45-6WA
Baroness Gould of Potternewton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What limits will be in place on election expenditure by political parties and third parties for the next General Election. [HL535]

Lord Bassam of Brighton

Paragraph 3 of Schedule 9 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 imposes limits on campaign expenditure by registered political parties in the 365 days prior to the date of a parliamentary general election. The maximum amount a party may spend is determined by the number of constituencies contested. A party receives an allowance of £30,000 for each constituency contested, subject to a minimum threshold. A party contesting every constituency in the United Kingdom would therefore be subject to a limit on campaign expenditure of £19.77 million during the normal 365-day period.

We have today made a commencement order bringing Schedule 9 into force on 16 February 2001. As provided for in Section 163(6) of the Act, the order includes transitional provisions specifying a lower limit on campaign expenditure that will apply if the next general election is held less than 365 days after 16 February. In such circumstances, the allowance per constituency contested will be as follows:

Period before date of election Revised allowance per constituency contested Limit on party contesting all 659 seats
£ £ million
0–3 months 22,500 14,8275
3–4 months 24,000 15,816
4–5 months 25,500 16,8045
5–6 months 27,000 17,793
6–9 months 28,500 18,7815
9–12 months 30,000 19,77

Paragraph 3 of Schedule 10 to the Act imposes separate limits on controlled expenditure by recognised third parties in each of' England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Again, these limits would normally apply in the period of 365 days before the date of a parliamentary general election. If the next election is held less than 365 days after 16 February, however, the following revised limits will apply:

Limit on controlled expenditure in:
Period before date of election England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland Total
£ £ £ £ £
0–3 months 595,125 81,000 45,000 20,250 741,375
3–4 months 634,800 86,400 48,000 21,600 79,800
4–5 months 674,475 91,800 51,000 22,950 840,225
5–6 months 714,150 97,200 54,000 24,300 889,650
6–9 months 753,825 102,600 57,000 25,650 939,075
9–12 months 793,500 108,000 60,000 27,000 988,500

The limits on national campaign expenditure by political parties and third parties complement rather than replace the long-standing local limits on candidates' and third party expenses provided for in the Representation of the People Act 1983.