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Political Parties: Finance

Volume 488: debated on Friday 6 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will refer to the Committee on Standards in Public Life the matter of tax exiles and non-domiciled people who donate to UK political parties; and if he will make a statement. (261358)

The Government believe that the issue of the relationship between taxation status and political donations would need to be considered in the wider context of the relationship between taxation status and democratic participation generally.

The Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) is independent of Government; it is for the Committee to decide which subjects it examines. We approached the Committee to ask whether they would be open to investigating this matter but have been advised that the work programme of the Committee does not allow them to pursue the matter at this time.

The Government will reflect on how this issue might be taken forward.