Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

1 (1) A designated organisation is, subject to such reasonable terms and conditions as the universal service provider concerned may specify, entitled to send free of any charge for postage which would otherwise be made by a universal service provider either—

(a) one unaddressed postal communication, containing matter relating to the referendum only and not exceeding 60 grammes in weight, to each place in the referendum area which, in accordance with those terms and conditions, constitutes a delivery point for the purposes of this sub-paragraph; or

(b) one such postal communication addressed to each person entitled to vote at the referendum.

(2) A designated organisation is also, subject to any such terms and conditions, entitled to send free of any such charge for postage to each person entered in the list of proxies for the referendum one such postal communication for each appointment in respect of which that person is so entered.

(3) Section 200A of the [1983 c. 2.] Representation of the People Act 1983 (remuneration of universal service provider for free postal services rendered in relation to parliamentary elections) shall apply in relation to a postal service rendered by a universal service provider in pursuance of this paragraph as it applies in relation to a postal service rendered by such a provider in pursuance of that Act.

(4) In this paragraph—

• “the referendum area” means the area throughout which the referendum is being held;

• “universal service provider” has the same meaning as in the [2000 c. 26.] Postal Services Act 2000.

(5) If this paragraph comes into force at a time when the amendments made to section 91 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 by the Postal Services Act 2000 have not come into force, then until such time as those amendments come into force, this paragraph shall have effect subject to such modifications as may be specified in the order under section 163 of this Act which brings this paragraph into force.