Terms of Reference

There has been a significant amount of discussion on the topic of donations since the election of the former First Minister, and as such the Committee believes further work should be undertaken in this area. It is important for the Senedd to be as transparent and open as possible, especially in relation to receiving funds and donations as Members of the Senedd. Such donations are important in funding activities such as leadership campaigns, which rightly cannot use Senedd resources, however the Committee is keen to make sure that this is done in a way which maintains the confidence of the electorate.

The Committee will consider as part of this inquiry:

the level of reporting and disclosure of donations which individual Members are required to undertake;

whether there should be any restrictions on who can donate, further to those which are deemed permissible by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA);

whether there should be a cap on donations from any one entity or individual; and

whether there should be variation in the rules depending on the source of donation.

Consultation

In the first instance, the Committee is keen to hear from a wide range of people on the following areas:

Awareness

The Committee considers a key part of transparency and trust is ensuring that the right information is available. We would be keen to know :

- Whether you would know how to access the information on what donations Politicians have received? If so, which sources do you use?

- Whether you think that information is sufficient about donations and what information you would expect to be available about donations?

Value of Donations

At present there is a monetary threshold for registration of a donation having been received, but there is no limit on the amount of money that can be donated. We would be keen to know:

- How much discretion do you think politicians should have in the amount of money they accept?

- Do you think there should be a limit on the amount donated for specific campaigns by, and if so what should this limit be from:

a) individuals;

b) companies;

c) charities;

d) other organisations; or

e) for the entire campaign

Additional Accountability

The Senedd currently records information about donations on the individual Member’s register of interest and the information is also published on the Electoral Commission website. There is no other requirement on Members to record any interaction with individuals or groups.

- Would you expect people/individuals donating to politicians to declare or register information somewhere?

- Do you think the various ways, other than financial ones, in which Members can benefit should be recorded (such as, use of resources/facilities/services etc..)?

- Do you think that the Senedd needs a method for recording interactions, other than financial ones,  by any particular group of people with Members?*

* Relevant responses received as part of the consultation on lobbying will also be taken into consideration when the Committee considers evidence on processes relating to political donations and /or interactions that are not financial but might influence Members.