MS, Cabinet Secretary for
Housing and Local Government: As part of the work to prepare for
the Senedd election next year, new campaign expenditure limits
must be set. The change to the electoral system means that the
existing limits are unsuitable as they are set up for both
multi-member regions and single-seat constituencies.
I am pleased to update the Senedd with the proposed limits for
both individual candidates and registered parties. This comes
after consultations on both the draft Senedd Cymru
(Representation of the People) Order and election campaign
expenditure limits for political parties at Senedd elections, as
well as detailed engagement with the Electoral Commission.
The limit for individual candidates will be set in the
forthcoming “Conduct Order”, which establishes the rules for the
conduct of Senedd elections. That limit must be on the
recommendation of the Electoral Commission, which has now been
received. In line with that recommendation, the proposal in the
Conduct Order, which will be laid after Easter recess, is for a
limit of £52,500. This is the same level as the proposed limit
for a party list of one candidate, ensuring parity.
Limits for registered parties are set in the Political Parties,
Elections and Referendums Act 2000, and draft regulations to
revise those limits will be laid before the Senedd in Summer
term. These regulations can only be made with the consent of the
Electoral Commission, and though formal consent cannot be
requested until the draft regulations are complete, in-principle
consent has been received on the basis of the following limits:
For a party list of one candidate, the limit proposed is £52,500.
This is then proposed to increase by £3,500 for every additional
candidate on the list, up to a maximum of £70,000 for a list of
six or more. This provides a similar maximum limit to the current
system for a party and its candidates standing in every
constituency.
Both pieces of secondary legislation will be laid before the
Senedd during the Summer term along with explanatory memoranda
which will set out in more detail the process undertaken to
establish these limits. I look forward to the scrutiny of these
important instruments.
This statement is being issued during recess to keep Members
informed. Should Members wish me to make a further statement or
to answer questions on this when the Senedd returns I would be
happy to do so.
