To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review options for funding United Kingdom political parties from public funds and disallowing overseas donations. [HL2691]

The Government do not believe that there is currently public support for an increase in state funding of political parties.

With regard to overseas donations, the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 prevents individuals who are not registered in a UK electoral register or UK-registered companies which do not carry on business here from giving donations to political parties registered in Great Britain. Additionally, the Government recently legislated in the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 to require individual donors to confirm, when making a donation, that they are resident, ordinarily resident and domiciled in the United Kingdom for income tax purposes. This provision has not yet been commenced. Ministers made clear during debates at the time that it would not be commenced before the summer of 2010.