Part I, Paragraph 6: Political Parties
Purpose and Effect
This paragraph reserves the registration and funding of political parties, except for making payments to assist MSPs in performing their Parliamentary duties.
Parliamentary Consideration
| Stage | Date | Column |
|---|---|---|
| LC | 21-Jul-98 | 858 |
Details of Provisions
This paragraph ensures that the registration and funding of political parties is a reserved matter, except for the making of payments to any political party for the purpose of assisting members of the Scottish Parliament who are connected with the party to perform their Parliamentary duties. This exception was added by article 2 of the Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedules 4 and 5) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1749).
The registration and funding of political parties is dealt with in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 which consolidated the Registration of Political Parties Act 1998 which used to deal with the registration of political parties.
Section 97 provides a power for Her Majesty, by Order in Council to provide for the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to make payments to registered political parties for the purpose of assisting members of the Parliament who are connected with such parties to perform their Parliamentary duties. This power has been exercised in making the Scottish Parliament (Assistance for Registered Political Parties) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1745).