Regulation

Mr. Maude
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment (a) officials in his Department and (b) the Hayden Phillips review have made of trends in the average level of spending in real terms at a local level by parliamentary candidates during the general election periods regulated by the Representation of the People Act.

Mr. Straw
No such assessment has been made by officials in my Department.

Sir Hayden Phillips’ Review of the Funding of Political Parties considered spending levels by parties and candidates. His publications can be found at:

http://www.partyfundingreview.gov.uk/