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Stormont parties facing fines over late or missing spending returns as Sinn Féin again top list

The cheapest MLAs in Northern Ireland: Clare Bailey and Steven Agnew were returned at a cost of just £747 each
The cheapest MLAs in Northern Ireland: Clare Bailey and Steven Agnew were returned at a cost of just £747 each The cheapest MLAs in Northern Ireland: Clare Bailey and Steven Agnew were returned at a cost of just £747 each

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