§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
The Government have laid before Parliament the following instrument: the Representation of the People (Variation of Limits of Candidates' Elections Expenses) Order 2005. This order reflects the Electoral Commission's recommendations of 12 January 2005 on the maximum amounts of candidates' election expenses at a parliamentary general election in the United Kingdom and at local government elections in England and Wales, as detailed in its report: Variation of Election Expenses Limits for candidates at UK Parliamentary and Local Government Elections.
The recommendations have been agreed by both the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and the First Secretary of State in respect of their separate and distinct responsibilities for electoral matters. The Department for Constitutional Affairs broadly takes responsibility for national issues, in particular parliamentary and European parliamentary elections. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister broadly takes responsibility for local election matters.