MORE than a third of political parties are facing fines after submitting their 2017 assembly election spending returns "late or not at all".
Ann Watt, Head of the Electoral Commission in Northern Ireland, said transparency on political spending is important for public confidence in the system.
"The publication of these returns provides the public with important information on how much our political parties spent at the recent Northern Ireland Assembly election," she said.
"We are disappointed that more than a third of the parties submitted their spending returns late or not at all. These failures are now being considered in line with the Electoral Commission’s Enforcement Policy."
Nine parties collectively spent £150,080 on campaigning during the regulated period - this was half the figure for the previous year when 10 political parties reported spending a total of £343,558 on campaigning.
Parties were required to submit a campaign spending between January 16 and polling day on March 2. Four parties submitted `nil returns'.
Sinn Féin are once again top spenders, with a £46,591 bill - more than double the £21,929 spent by the DUP during the campaign, but coming to £1,726 per assembly member - the third lowest proportional spend.
The DUP spent £783 per MLA, second only to the Green Party, whose overall spend was £1,493 to secure seats for leader and deputy leader Steven Agnew and Claire Bailey.
The Alliance Party had the second highest overall spend - £32,456, working out at an expensive £4,057 per assembly member.
Spending by political parties at the 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election
Party Name Expenditure
Sinn Féin £46,591
Alliance - Alliance Party of Northern Ireland £32,456
Ulster Unionist Party £26,443
Democratic Unionist Party - D.U.P. £21,929
SDLP (Social Democratic & Labour Party) £14,971
Traditional Unionist Voice - TUV £2,724
People Before Profit Alliance £2,543
Green Party £1,493
Citizens Independent Social Thought Alliance £930
Conservative and Unionist Party Nil return
Cross-Community Labour Alternative Nil return
The Workers Party Nil return
UKIP Nil return
Progressive Unionist Party of Northern Ireland Not submitted