Recall of MPs Act 2015

22 Interpretation

(1) In this Act—

• “the cut-off day” has the meaning given by section 10(4)(a);

• “the designated day” has the meaning given by section 7(5);

• “the designated place or places” has the meaning given by section 7(5);

• “late application for registration” has the meaning given by section 10(4)(b);

• “legislation” means—

  (a)

  an Act of Parliament,

  (b)

  an Act of the Scottish Parliament,

  (c)

  an Act or Measure of the National Assembly for Wales,

  (d)

  Northern Ireland legislation, or

  (e)

  an instrument made under legislation as mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (d) above;

• “the Minister” means the Lord President of the Council or the Secretary of State;

• “modifications” includes additions, omissions and amendments;

• “MP” means member of the House of Commons (and see section 2(5) regarding the time at which a person becomes an MP);

• “overturned on appeal” means—

  (a)

  in relation to a conviction, that there is no longer a conviction for the purposes of section 1(3) or (9) (as the case may be), and

  (b)

  in relation to a sentence or order—

  (i)

  varied so that it is no longer a sentence or order that the MP be imprisoned or detained within the meaning of section 1(3), or

  (ii)

  replaced with another sentence or order that is not a sentence or order that the MP be imprisoned or detained within the meaning of that provision;

• “petition officer” has the meaning given by section 6(2);

• “PPERA 2000” means the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000;

• “recall petition” has the meaning given by section 1(2);

• “the signing period” has the meaning given by section 9(2);

• “the Speaker” means the Speaker of the House of Commons;

• “Speaker’s notice” has the meaning given by section 5(7) (and see section 5(6) regarding when it is given and received);

• “working day” means a day that is not—

  (a)

  a Saturday or Sunday,

  (b)

  Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Good Friday, or

  (c)

  a bank holiday or a day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning,

  and for that purpose “bank holiday” means a day that is a bank holiday in the part of the United Kingdom in which the MP’s constituency is situated.

(2) References in this Act to the register of parliamentary electors for a constituency are to the register of parliamentary electors for the constituency maintained under section 9 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

(3) Where under that section two or more registration officers maintain registers of parliamentary electors in respect of different parts of the same constituency, then in relation to that constituency—

(a) references in this Act (other than in section 14(3) and (7)) to the register of parliamentary electors for the constituency are to be read as references to one of those registers in respect of a part of the constituency,

(b) the reference in section 14(3) to “the number of persons registered in the register of parliamentary electors for the constituency on the last day of the signing period excluding those who, according to their entry in the register, are aged under 18 on that day” is to be read as a reference to the number given by—

(i) determining, in the case of each of those registers in respect of a part of the constituency, the number of persons registered in that register on that day excluding those who, according to their entry in that register, are aged under 18 on that day, and

(ii) then adding together the numbers so determined, and

(c) the reference in section 14(7) to a person who is not registered in the register of parliamentary electors for the constituency is to be read as a reference to a person who is not registered in any of those registers.

(4) References in this Act (however expressed) to the signing of a recall petition by a person are to be read in accordance with section 11(4).

(5) A duty under this Act to notify (however expressed) is a duty to give notice in writing.