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Written question asked by James Cleverly (Conservative) on Monday, 13 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 16 July 2026 (named day). It was answered by Samantha Dixon (Labour) on Friday, 17 July 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Political Parties: Finance

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the Rycroft Review response: letter to parliamentary parties, of 7 July 2026, whether the minimum residency requirement applies individuals who have been continually registered as domestic electors but who may have been residing abroad in whole or in part for the year, or only to overseas electors and non-registered electors who were residing abroad.

Answer

The relevant question for the purposes of the minimum residency period is when the individual was last resident outside the United Kingdom.

Residency is determined using the existing electoral law concept of residence in section 5 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. Residence is therefore determined by a factual assessment of whether someone is genuinely living at a UK address. A donor will be required to declare whether they are and have been resident in the UK based on their own circumstances.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
18016
Session
2026-27
Subjects
British nationals abroad Finance Domicil Political parties
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk