Written question asked by Lord Maude of Horsham (Conservative) on Monday, 27 April 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 29 April 2009. It was answered by Peter Viggers (Conservative) on Tuesday, 5 May 2009 on behalf of the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission.

Catz Club: Political Parties

Question: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission whether the Electoral Commission plans to investigate donations made by Catz Club to political parties following the announcement of a statutory inquiry by the Charity Commission into previously undisclosed payments.

Answer: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has considered two donations made to the Labour party by Catz club, a permissible donor under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. Both donations arose from payments made by Catz club to attend Labour party events. A proportion of the payments met the costs of the services provided at the event, and a proportion was a donation to the party.On the basis of information available, the Electoral Commission concluded that the figure used by the party for the cost of services provided in each instance was reasonable, and that there was no breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

Secondary information