The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.
To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what consultation there has been with charities in Northern Ireland on the Electoral Commission’s guidance on the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.
Mr Gary Streeter
The Electoral Commission informs me that since Royal Assent to the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 it has held four roundtable discussions across the UK, and has used an online survey to listen carefully to the needs of campaigners and explain its plans for guidance. One round table event was held in Northern Ireland and was hosted by the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA). 24 organisations were invited to attend; 11 organisations – including umbrella bodies – were represented.
The Electoral Commission is also providing a series of campaigner updates, giving information on what the Act will mean for charities and other campaigners. These updates are available on the Commission’s website and have also been promoted by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.
The Commission will publish its full guidance on the new rules, which will include joint guidance with the charity regulators, in the summer. This will ensure that campaigners have guidance available to them in advance of the regulated period which begins on 19 September 2014. Meanwhile, the Commission will continue to offer charities and others bespoke advice as usual, both before and after the guidance is published and the regulated period begins.