Electoral Commission strategy and policy statement
The strategy and policy statement for the Electoral Commission was designated on 29 February 2024. The Electoral Commission is required to have regard to the statement when carrying out its functions.
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Sections 4A-4E of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) as inserted by section 16 of the Elections Act 2022 (“the Act”) made provision for the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to designate a Strategy and Policy Statement (“Statement”) for the Commission. The Statement is designed to strengthen the accountability of the Electoral Commission to the UK Parliament whilst respecting its operational independence. Following parliamentary approval, the Secretary of State has designated the Statement and the Electoral Commission has a duty to have regard to it when carrying out its functions. The consultation and procedural requirements set out in sections 4A(4) and 4C of PPERA have been satisfied.
The Statement sets out the government’s strategic and policy priorities and the roles and responsibilities of the Electoral Commission in enabling the government to meet those priorities, including the Government’s determination to tackle issues such as voter fraud, to improve the accessibility of elections, and to improve participation. It also contains guidance relating to particular matters in respect of which the Electoral Commission has functions.
The Electoral Commission is accountable to the UK Parliament via the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission (“Speaker’s Committee”). To strengthen the Electoral Commission’s accountability to the UK Parliament, section 13ZA of PPERA (as inserted by section 17 of the Act) provided the Speaker’s Committee with new powers to examine the Electoral Commission’s performance of its duty to have regard to the Statement.