5. COMMUNICATIONS EXPENDITURE
PURPOSE OF THE ALLOWANCE
Communications Expenditure is designed to help Members
communicate proactively with their constituents about their work
in furtherance of their parliamentary duties.
The allowance may be used to meet expenses for:
- Regular reports and constituency
newsletters; questionnaires, surveys and petitions
- Contact cards
- Distribution costs
- Advertising of surgeries and
constituency meetings
- Websites
- Some capital purchases.
ELIGIBILITY
All Members are eligible for this allowance when
their claim complies with the principles set out in Part I and
the more detailed guidance found in Communications Expenditure
and the use of House stationery" booklet [link].
EXAMPLES OF APPROPRIATE EXPENDITURE
The following provides examples of expenditure which
are appropriate under the various categories shown under "purpose"
above.
Whilst these are not exhaustive, they are designed
to indicate the types of costs that are appropriate and so guide
Members for other expenditure they wish to incur which is not
on the list.
REGULAR REPORTS
AND CONSTITUENCY
NEWSLETTERS; QUESTIONNAIRES,
SURVEYS AND
PETITIONS
- Production and design costs
- Distribution costs
- Freepost facilities
CONTACT CARDS
- Production and design costs
ADVERTISING OF
SURGERIES AND
CONSTITUENCY MEETINGS
- Cost of placing advertisements
WEBSITES
- Design of website
- Set up costs (domain name etc)
- Maintenance of website
CAPITAL PURCHASES
- Equipment and software used
only in respect of anything published through Communications Expenditure.
ISSUES NEEDING PARTICULAR ATTENTION
PRIOR APPROVAL
There is a general requirement to get approval from
the Department before committing to expenditure above £1000
for production and design costs.
CLOSED PERIOD
There is a closed period of 28 days before European
Parliament, devolved legislature and local government elections
(excluding by-elections and parish and community council elections).
No proactive communications funded by Communications Expenditure
may be issued during this period. Members will be expected to
repay any money spent in contravention of this rule. They should
also be aware that there could be implications with regard to
electoral expenditure limits.
CONTENT
The purpose of a publication or website must be to
inform constituents about your work as a Member, to consult with
constituents or local groups, or to provide information about
how to contact you.
No party political material is permitted in any part
of a publication or website funded wholly or in part from the
allowance. You must not use party logos or slogans. You may use
the House of Commons Portcullis provided the document meets the
rules.
You must take care not to publish material which
could be construed as campaign expenditure within the scope of
the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
You may only use Hansard extracts if the entire publication
or website—including the extract—complies with the
prohibition on party political content.
You must take care when using photographs not to
promote other elected office-holders or candidates for office.
Captions must be neutral and kept within the context of the publication.
You must take care when using or quoting statistics
that the use of such statistics cannot be construed as politically
selective.
Surveys may ask questions on national or international
issues.
DISTRIBUTION
Members must use their best endeavours to ensure
that distribution arrangements for newsletters do not stray unreasonably
beyond the boundaries of their constituency.
JOINT PUBLICATIONS
Members are entitled to produce newsletters in conjunction
with other elected office-holders. However the entire content
must satisfy the rules of all the bodies involved in funding it.
If material is included that is not allowed, the whole cost of
the publication must be funded from another source.
CAPITAL PURCHASES
Only equipment and software purchased solely to assist
Members in the production and distribution of newsletters, websites
or other publications funded from Communications Expenditure may
be claimed from the allowance. Equipment that is used for general
office purposes should be claimed from AOE.
STAFFING COSTS
Where staff are employed, in whole or in part, to
assist with the production of material funded through the allowance,
salary and National Insurance costs will continue to be met from
Staffing Expenditure. However, the cost of bought-in or self-employed
staff may be met from Communications Expenditure.
DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
A copy of any agreement for cost sharing (when a
publication is produced with another Member; a Member of a devolved
legislature; or an MEP).
A copy of any agreement for services (for example
for staffing or facilities) with your constituency association
or other party political organisation.
HOW COMMUNICATIONS EXPENDITURE WORKS IN PRACTICE
There are three payment options available from the
Department:
- You can meet the bill yourself
and claim the sum back. Use a Members' Reimbursement form (Comms1)
- The Department can pay the
supplier direct. Use a Direct Payment to Third Parties form (Comms2)
and attach a copy of the invoice
- You can set up a regular payment
arrangement. Use a Periodic Payments form (B1), and attach a copy
of your contract with the supplier
Claims for the costs of any survey or of production
of any publication costing more than £1000 will only be met
if the publication has been cleared IN
ADVANCE with the Department. If
this approval is not given, you will not be able to claim for
the costs of the publications. You are strongly encouraged to
submit all items for which you are intending to claim from Communications
Expenditure to the Department for approval in advance.
The Department will also review the homepage of websites
that are being funded from Communications Expenditure. This may
lead to further scrutiny when a claim for a relevant cost is submitted.
Members are expected to make all recommended changes.
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