The Electoral Commission
134. The Electoral Commission has been in existence
since 30 November 2000. It is an independent statutory authority,
which reports directly to Parliament through a committee chaired
by the Speaker of the House of Commons. Its responsibilities include
oversight of the registration of political parties and third parties,
monitoring and publication of significant donations to registered
political parties and regulation of national party spending on
election campaigns. It also manages referendums in the UK, promotes
voter awareness, advises those involved in elections upon practice
and procedure and reports on the administration of every major
election. It undertakes an extensive programme of policy reviews
and proposals for electoral modernisation, resulting in reports
which makes recommendations to Government.[303]
135. The Commission has been looking to extend its
role. In its report, Voting for change (June 2003), it
identified potential new tasks for itself which would require
a number of additional powers. These were listed in the Government's
response to the report as:
- Setting and monitoring performance
standards for local authorities in the delivery of electoral services
- Allocating budgets to local authority electoral
services departments
- Reviewing and setting Fees and Charges Orders
for major elections; processing claims
- Maintaining a national electoral register to
common data standards, setting and monitoring data standards and
potentially dealing with requests for access
- Directing Electoral Registration Officers on
collection and processing of registration data
- Creating and managing an individual voter identifier
system
- Approving descriptions for party candidates
- Processing applications for international observer
accreditation[304]
The Government's response to these requests for
additional powers was somewhat equivocal, with most issues deferred
to be considered in relation to other matters. Only in the last
two instances was it absolutely clear that the Electoral Commission
would be given the responsibility as recommended.[305]
In light also of the lack of progress made in taking forward
the modernisation agenda, this calls into question the value of
the Commission's assertion that "the Government has already
committed to the implementation of around 70% of the proposals
put forward in Voting for change". [306]
136. We asked the Ministers for their views on the
work of the Electoral Commission. The Minister for Regional and
Local Government and Fire, ODPM, who is also a member of the Speaker's
Committee with oversight of the Commission, was diplomatic in
his response: "one would inevitably say that as an organisation
that has been in existence for a relatively short period of time
it has been on a steep learning curve and has made very considerable
progress in many areas. There are other areas where we probably
see scope for continued and further improvements."[307]
137. One particular concern was whether there should
be people with practical political experience on the Commission.
At present by statute anyone with a practical involvement in politics
over the past ten years cannot serve as a Commissioner. The Minister
suggested that in laying down these requirements "the balance
[with the principle of independence] may be drawn a little too
tightly against an understanding of day-to-day practical issues".[308]
These concerns could be addressed either by changing the composition
of the Commission itself which would require legislation or by
"an administrative arrangements whereby the Commission had
contact with a body of senior practitioners from all parties who
could advise it" which could be done without legislation.[309]
We welcome the statement from the Minister and look forward to
progress being made.
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