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The Electoral Commission has today published details of expenditure by parties who campaigned in Mays Welsh Assembly elections and spent more than £250,000.

Only two parties Labour and Plaid Cymru spent more than this.  They reported just over half a million pounds of party expenditure between them; this includes spending by regional list candidates. (Constituency candidates had up to 35 days from the declaration of the result to submit their returns to the Returning Officer for their constituency.)

In the parties returns to the Commission, all spending must be allocated against one of the eight categories laid down in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.  Labour and Plaid Cymru recorded highest expenditure on unsolicited material to electors and advertising (£91,345 and £86,714 respectively).  Labours second highest spend was on party political broadcasts (£49,274) while Plaids was on advertising (£74,814).

Plaid Cymru resubmitted their returns after certain spending on advertising was added, taking them over the £250,000 threshold.  The party has not yet provided the audit certificate for the revised return and as such the figures are draft until confirmation is received.

The Commission is currently scrutinising the returns submitted by parties, cross checking them against information gathered through monitoring of campaign activity.

Kay Jenkins, Head of the Electoral Commissions office in Wales, said:

"The reporting of campaign spending by the parties at the Welsh Assembly elections is an integral part of ensuring full transparency in politics and the democratic process in Wales.  The information provided by the parties means the public can see how much money was spent by parties during the campaign and also what they spent it on.

"As with all financial information submitted to the Commission, campaign spending returns are scrutinised alongside information gathered by the Commission during the regulated period.  We made it clear to Plaid that spending on advertising by three Plaid Cymru MPs should be included within the return they previously submitted and are pleased that the party has agreed to submit a revised return which is published today."

Parties had six months to submit their returns, which must be independently audited. Campaign expenditure returns for those political parties and third parties that spent under £250,000 were published in August this year and are available on the Commission website.

Returns for parties spending over £250,000 contesting Mays Scottish Parliamentary elections will also be published on the Commissions website today.

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For more information please contact:

Sarah Garrett on 020 7271 0531

press@electoralcommission.org.uk

Out of hours please ring: 07789 920414

Notes to editors

1. The Electoral Commission is an independent body established by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.  Its aim is to promote integrity and public confidence in all of the UKs democratic process.
2. The details of party and candidate campaign expenditure can be viewed at www.electoralcommission.org.uk. To request a CD containing the full returns from parties, please contact the Electoral Commission press office details above.
3. The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (2000) states that campaign spending includes expenditure on party political broadcasts, advertising, unsolicited material sent to electors, manifestos and other documents, market research, press conferences and dealings with the media, transport and rallies and other events. Parties also include the costs of overheads and increases in general administration arising from their election activities. The controls applied for a four month pre-election period. PPERA also imposes spending limits on parties contesting the Welsh Assembly Elections - £10,000 per constituency and £40,000 for each region contested by the party.