The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (Exclusions and Variation of Campaign Expenditure Limits) (Wales) Regulations 2025

Made: 3 July 2025

Coming into force: 4 July 2025

In accordance with section 156(4)(j) and (ja) of the 2000 Act[^f00003] and section 22(4)(b) of the 2024 Act, a draft of these Regulations was laid before, and approved by resolution of, Senedd Cymru.

Title, coming into force and savings provision

1

• (1) The title of these Regulations is the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (Exclusions and Variation of Campaign Expenditure Limits) (Wales) Regulations 2025.

• (2) These Regulations come into force on 4 July 2025.

• (3) Despite the coming into force of these Regulations under paragraph (2), they do not have effect in relation to an ordinary or an extraordinary general election to Senedd Cymru the poll for which is held on or before 6 April 2026.

Interpretation

2

In these Regulations, “the 2000 Act” means the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

Security exclusion in respect of qualifying expenses for registered parties and recognised third parties

3

• (1) Paragraph 2(1)(ea) of Schedule 8 to the 2000 Act[^f00004] (campaign expenditure: qualifying expenses) is amended as follows—

• (a) after “paragraph 3,” insert “6,”;

• (b) after “parliamentary general elections” insert “, general elections to Senedd Cymru,”.

• (2) Paragraph 2(1)(f) of Schedule 8A to the 2000 Act[^f00005] (controlled expenditure: qualifying expenses) is amended as follows—

• (a) after “paragraph 3,” insert “6,”;

• (b) after “parliamentary general elections” insert “, general elections to Senedd Cymru,”.

Variation of registered parties’ campaign expenditure limits

4

• (1) In paragraph 6 of Schedule 9 to the 2000 Act (general elections to Senedd Cymru)—

• (a) for sub-paragraph (2) substitute—

(2) The limit applying to campaign expenditure which is incurred by or on behalf of a registered party in the relevant period in Wales is, for each constituency contested by the party, as follows— (a) where only 1 person stands nominated by the party as a candidate to be a Member of the Senedd for the constituency, the limit is £52,500; (b) where only 2 people stand nominated by the party as candidates to be Members of the Senedd for the constituency, the limit is £56,000; (c) where only 3 people stand nominated by the party as candidates to be Members of the Senedd for the constituency, the limit is £59,500; (d) where only 4 people stand nominated by the party as candidates to be Members of the Senedd for the constituency, the limit is £63,000; (e) where only 5 people stand nominated by the party as candidates to be Members of the Senedd for the constituency, the limit is £66,500; (f) where 6, 7 or 8 people stand nominated by the party as candidates to be Members of the Senedd for the constituency, the limit is £70,000. (2ZA) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2), a person stands nominated by a party as a candidate to be a Member of the Senedd for the constituency if the person is shown, in a statement of parties and persons nominated published by the returning officer for the constituency in accordance with an order made under section 13 of the Government of Wales Act 2006, as a candidate who has been and stands nominated as a candidate of the party.

• (b) omit sub-paragraphs (2A) and (2B).

• (2) Omit section 10(10)(h)(ii) of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (amendments to the 2000 Act).

• (3) Omit section 64(3) of the Electoral Administration Act 2006[^f00006] (campaign expenditure: standing for more than one party in ordinary elections to Senedd Cymru).

Signed

Jayne Bryant — Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, one of the Welsh Ministers — 3 July 2025

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations amend Schedules 8, 8A and 9 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (“the 2000 Act”).

Regulation 1 makes general provision relating to the Regulations including savings to ensure that the Regulations only apply to general elections to the Senedd, the poll for which is held on or after 7 April 2026. By virtue of section 24 of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (“the 2024 Act”), any Senedd general election held before that date would be held under the law as it was before the 2024 Act came into force, and therefore the existing provision relating to exclusions and campaign expenditure limits should also apply to such elections.

Regulation 2 defines the 2000 Act for the purposes of the Regulations.

Regulation 3 makes provision to exclude security expenses (defined as reasonable expenses incurred that are reasonably attributable to the protection of persons or property in accordance with paragraph 2(ea) of Schedule 8 and paragraph 2(1)(f) of Schedule 8A to the 2000 Act) from the scope of qualifying expenses in Schedules 8 and 8A to the 2000 Act.

Regulation 3 gives effect to a recommendation of the Electoral Commission in accordance with paragraph 4(2)(a) of Schedule 8 and paragraph 4(2)(a) of Schedule 8A to the 2000 Act.

Regulation 4 varies the limits in relation to campaign expenditure incurred by or on behalf of a registered party which contests one or more constituencies at an ordinary or extraordinary general election to Senedd Cymru (“the Senedd”). These Regulations set new limits as a consequence of the reform of the Senedd effected by the 2024 Act. The new expenditure limits incurred by or on behalf of a registered party in each constituency contested are calculated by reference to the number of persons who stand nominated by the party as a candidate for the constituency. For this purpose, a person stands nominated by a party as a candidate to be a Member of the Senedd for the constituency if the person is shown, in a statement of parties and persons nominated published by the returning officer for the constituency in accordance with an order made under section 13 of the Government of Wales Act 2006, as a candidate who has been and stands nominated as a candidate of the party. It also omits references in paragraph 6 of Schedule 9 to the 2000 Act to candidates standing in the name of a party and one or more other registered parties as this is not possible under the new electoral system. Regulation 4 also omits earlier amendments to paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 9 to the 2000 Act as this provision is completely superseded.

Regulation 4 is made with the consent of the Electoral Commission in accordance with section 21(4) of the 2024 Act.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Elections Division, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ and on the Welsh Government website at www.gov.wales.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2000 c. 41. The functions of the Secretary of State, insofar as they are exercisable within devolved competence, were transferred to the Welsh Ministers by article 45 of, and paragraph 4 of Schedule 1 to, the Welsh Ministers (Transfer of Functions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/644). Schedule 8A was inserted by Schedule 3 to the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 (c. 4).

[^f00002]: 2024 asc 4.

[^f00003]: Section 156(4)(ja) was inserted by the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 (c. 4), section 26(13).

[^f00004]: Paragraph 2(1)(ea) of Schedule 8 was inserted by S.I. 2024/428.

[^f00005]: Paragraph 2(1)(f) of Schedule 8A was inserted by S.I. 2024/428.

[^f00006]: 2006 c. 22.