Representation of the People Act 2000

Miscellaneous

14 Free delivery of election addresses at Greater London Authority elections

(1) The [1999 c. 29.] Greater London Authority Act 1999 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 17 there shall be inserted—

“17A Free delivery of election addresses

(1) Each candidate at the first election of the Mayor shall be entitled (subject to and in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 3A to this Act) to have an election address prepared on behalf of the candidate included in a booklet of election addresses—

(a) prepared by the Greater London returning officer; and

(b) sent by that officer, by post, to each elector in Greater London.

(2) In subsection (1) above“elector”, in relation to the election mentioned in that subsection—

(a) means a person who is registered in the register of local government electors for an electoral area in Greater London on the last day for publication of notice of the election; and

(b) includes a person then shown in any such register as below voting age if (but only if) it appears from the register that he will be of voting age on the day fixed for the poll.

(3) The Secretary of State may by order make such provision as he considers appropriate for and in connection with enabling candidates—

(a) at ordinary elections other than the first such election, or

(b) at elections to fill vacancies in the office of Mayor or Assembly member,

to have their election addresses (within the meaning of the order) delivered, at the Authority’s expense, by the Post Office or by any other means specified in the order.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3) above, an order under that subsection may make provision—

(a) for free delivery of election addresses to be available under the order only in the case of any specified description of election falling within paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection or within section 2(7) above;

(b) for enabling the Authority to determine the descriptions of elections (if any) in the case of which free delivery of election addresses is to be so available;

(c) for regulating in any respect the form and manner in which free delivery of election addresses is to be so available;

(d) for restricting the number of separate mailings in respect of the free delivery of election addresses, whether—

(i) by limiting the number of separate election addresses by reference to any specified circumstances, or

(ii) by requiring the preparation of a single document incorporating all the election addresses to be delivered on behalf of candidates at a particular election,

or otherwise;

(e) for imposing conditions which must be satisfied by any candidate or candidates seeking to avail themselves of free delivery of election addresses under the order;

(f) for authorising election addresses falling to be delivered under the order to be disseminated by such means (other than those by which they are to be so delivered) as may be specified;

(g) for securing that civil or criminal liability in respect of material contained in any election address falling to be delivered under the order (including any such liability arising in connection with any dissemination of the material in pursuance of paragraph (f) above) is incurred only by the candidate on behalf of whom it falls to be so delivered or his election agent.

(5) In subsection (4) above—

• “free delivery of election addresses” means the delivery of election addresses, in accordance with an order under subsection (3) above, at the Authority’s expense;

• “specified” means specified in an order under subsection (3) above.

(6) Before making an order under subsection (3) above the Secretary of State shall consult—

(a) the Mayor and the London Assembly; and

(b) such other persons and bodies as he may determine to be appropriate.

(7) Schedule 3A to this Act (which makes provision supplementing subsection (1) above) shall have effect.”

(3) In section 420(3) (orders under specified provisions to be subject to affirmative parliamentary procedure), before paragraph (a) there shall be inserted—

“(za) section 17A(3) above,”.

(4) The provisions set out in Schedule 5 shall be inserted as Schedule 3A to the Act.