Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

1. Introductory Text

2. Part I The Electoral Commission

   1. Establishment of Electoral Commission and bodieswith related functions

      1. 1. Establishment of the Electoral Commission.

      2. 2. Speaker’s Committee.

      3. 3. Appointment of Electoral Commissioners and Commission chairman.

      4. 4. Parliamentary Parties Panel.

   2. Commission’s general functions

      1. 5. Reports on elections and referendums.

      2. 6. Reviews of electoral and political matters.

      3. 7. Commission to be consulted on changes to electoral law.

      4. 8. Powers with respect to elections exercisable only on Commission recommendation.

      5. 9. Involvement of Commission in changes in electoral procedures.

      6. 10. Giving of advice and assistance.

      7. 11. Broadcasters to have regard to Commission’s views on party political broadcasts.

      8. 12. Policy development grants.

      9. 13. Education about electoral and democratic systems.

   3. Commission’s electoral boundary functions

      1. 14. Boundary committees.

      2. 15. Deputy Electoral Commissioners.

      3. 16. Transfer of functions of Boundary Commissions.

      4. 17. Transfer of property etc. of the Boundary Commissions.

      5. 18. Transfer of functions of Local Government Commission for England.

      6. 19. Transfer of functions of Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland.

      7. 20. Transfer of functions of Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales.

   4. Supplementary

      1. 21. Interpretation of Part I.

3. Part II Registration of political parties

   1. Requirement for registration

      1. 22. Parties to be registered in order to field candidates at elections.

   2. The registers of political parties

      1. 23. The new registers.

   3. Preliminary requirements

      1. 24. Office-holders to be registered.

      2. 25. Parties with campaigns officers.

      3. 26. Financial structure of registered party: adoption of scheme.

      4. 27. Financial structure of registered party: accounting units.

   4. Registration

      1. 28. Registration of parties.

      2. 29. Emblems.

      3. 30. Changes to the register.

      4. 31. Notification of changes in party’s officers etc.

      5. 32. Confirmation of registered particulars etc.

      6. 33. Party ceasing to be registered.

      7. 34. Registration of minor parties.

      8. 35. Request by Secretary of State.

      9. 36. Assistance by Commission for existing registered parties.

   5. Supplemental

      1. 37. Party political broadcasts.

      2. 38. Amendment of parliamentary elections rules.

      3. 39. False statements: offence.

      4. 40. Interpretation of Part II.

4. Part III Accounting requirements for registered parties

   1. Accounting records

      1. 41. Duty to keep accounting records.

   2. Statements of accounts

      1. 42. Annual statements of accounts.

      2. 43. Annual audits.

      3. 44. Supplementary provisions about auditors.

      4. 45. Delivery of statements of accounts etc. to Commission.

      5. 46. Public inspection of parties' statements of accounts.

      6. 47. Criminal penalty for failure to submit proper statement of accounts.

   3. Revision of statements of accounts

      1. 48. Revision of defective statements of accounts.

   4. Parties with accounting units

      1. 49. Division of responsibilities in case of party with accounting units.

5. Part IV Control of donations to registered parties and their members etc.

   1. Chapter I Donations to registered parties

      1. 50. Donations for purposes of Part IV.

      2. 51. Sponsorship.

      3. 52. Payments, services etc. not to be regarded as donations.

      4. 53. Value of donations.

   2. Chapter II Restrictions on donations to registered parties

      1. Permissible donations

         1. 54. Permissible donors.

         2. 55. Payments etc. which are (or are not) to be treated as donations by permissible donors.

         3. 56. Acceptance or return of donations: general.

         4. 57. Return of donations where donor unidentifiable.

      2. Forfeiture of certain donations

         1. 58. Forfeiture of donations made by impermissible or unidentifiable donors.

         2. 59. Appeal against order under section 58.

         3. 60. Supplementary provisions about orders under section 58.

      3. Evasion of restrictions on donations

         1. 61. Offences concerned with evasion of restrictions on donations.

   3. Chapter III Reporting of donations to registered parties

      1. Reports to be made by registered parties

         1. 62. Quarterly donation reports.

         2. 63. Weekly donation reports during general election periods.

         3. 64. Exemptions from section 63.

         4. 65. Submission of donation reports to Commission.

         5. 66. Declaration by treasurer in donation report.

      2. Extension of reporting requirements

         1. 67. Weekly donation reports in connection with elections other than general elections.

      3. Reports to be made by donors

         1. 68. Reporting of multiple small donations.

      4. Register of donations

         1. 69. Register of recordable donations.

   4. Chapter IV Power to make special provision

      1. 70. Special provision for Northern Ireland parties.

   5. Chapter V Control of donations to individuals and members associations

      1. 71. Control of donations to individuals and members associations.

6. Part V Control of campaign expenditure

   1. Preliminary

      1. 72. Campaign expenditure.

      2. 73. Notional campaign expenditure.

      3. 74. Officers of registered party with responsibility for campaign expenditure.

   2. General restrictions relating to campaign expenditure

      1. 75. Restriction on incurring campaign expenditure.

      2. 76. Restriction on payments in respect of campaign expenditure.

      3. 77. Restriction on making claims in respect of campaign expenditure.

      4. 78. Disputed claims.

   3. Financial limits

      1. 79. Limits on campaign expenditure.

   4. Returns

      1. 80. Returns as to campaign expenditure.

      2. 81. Auditor’s report on return.

      3. 82. Delivery of returns to the Commission.

      4. 83. Declaration by treasurer as to return under section 80.

      5. 84. Public inspection of returns under section 80.

7. Part VI Controls relating to third party national election campaigns

   1. Chapter I Preliminary

      1. Controlled expenditure by third parties

         1. 85. Controlled expenditure by third parties.

         2. 86. Notional controlled expenditure.

         3. 87. Expenditure by third parties which is not controlled expenditure.

      2. Recognised third parties

         1. 88. Third parties recognised for the purposes of this Part.

         2. 89. Register of notifications for purposes of section 88.

   2. Chapter II Financial controls

      1. General restrictions relating to controlled expenditure by recognised third parties

         1. 90. Restriction on incurring controlled expenditure.

         2. 91. Restriction on payments in respect of controlled expenditure.

         3. 92. Restriction on making claims in respect of controlled expenditure.

         4. 93. Disputed claims.

      2. Financial limits

         1. 94. Limits on controlled expenditure by third parties.

      3. Donations to recognised third parties

         1. 95. Control of donations to recognised third parties.

      4. Returns

         1. 96. Returns as to controlled expenditure.

         2. 97. Auditor’s report on return.

         3. 98. Delivery of returns to the Commission.

         4. 99. Declaration by responsible person as to return under section 96.

         5. 100. Public inspection of returns under section 96.

8. Part VII Referendums

   1. Chapter I Preliminary

      1. Referendums to which this Part applies

         1. 101. Referendums to which this Part applies.

         2. 102. Referendum period.

         3. 103. Date of poll.

         4. 104. Referendum questions.

      2. Permitted participants

         1. 105. Permitted participants.

         2. 106. Declarations and notifications for purposes of section 105.

         3. 107. Register of declarations and notifications for purposes of section 105.

      3. Assistance for designated organisations

         1. 108. Designation of organisations to whom assistance is available.

         2. 109. Applications for designation under section 108.

         3. 110. Assistance available to designated organisations.

   2. Chapter II Financial controls

      1. Referendum expenses

         1. 111. Referendum expenses.

         2. 112. Notional referendum expenses.

      2. General restrictions relating to referendum expenses incurred by permitted participants

         1. 113. Restriction on incurring referendum expenses.

         2. 114. Restriction on payments in respect of referendum expenses.

         3. 115. Restriction on making claims in respect of referendum expenses.

         4. 116. Disputed claims.

      3. Financial limits

         1. 117. General restriction on referendum expenses.

         2. 118. Special restrictions on referendum expenses by permitted participants.

      4. Donations to permitted participants

         1. 119. Control of donations to permitted participants.

      5. Returns

         1. 120. Returns as to referendum expenses.

         2. 121. Auditor’s report on return.

         3. 122. Delivery of returns to Commission.

         4. 123. Declaration of responsible person as to return under section 120.

         5. 124. Public inspection of returns under section 120.

   3. Chapter III Controls on Publications

      1. 125. Restriction on publication etc. of promotional material by central and local government etc.

      2. 126. Details to appear on referendum material.

      3. 127. Referendum campaign broadcasts.

   4. Chapter IV Conduct of referendums

      1. 128. Chief Counting Officers, and counting officers, for referendums.

      2. 129. Orders regulating conduct of referendums.

9. Part VIII Election campaigns and proceedings

   1. Control of donations to candidates

      1. 130. Control of donations to candidates.

   2. Control of election expenses

      1. 131. Election expenses incurred otherwise than by candidate.

      2. 132. Financial limits applying to candidates' election expenses.

      3. 133. Power to vary provisions about election expenses.

      4. 134. Meaning of “election expenses”.

      5. 135. Meaning of “candidate”.

   3. Corrupt and illegal practices

      1. 136. Corrupt and illegal practices: consequences for persons convicted of such practices.

      2. 137. Corrupt and illegal practices: election petitions etc.

   4. Miscellaneous amendments

      1. 138. Election campaigns and proceedings: miscellaneous amendments.

10. Part IX Political donations and expenditure by companies

    1. Control of political donations

       1. 139. Control of political donations by companies.

    2. Disclosure of political donations and expenditure

       1. 140. Disclosure of political donations and expenditure in directors' report.

11. Part X Miscellaneous and general

    1. Overseas electors

       1. 141. Reduction of qualifying period for overseas electors.

    2. Pre-consolidation amendments

       1. 142. Pre-consolidation amendments.

    3. Election material

       1. 143. Details to appear on election material.

    4. Broadcasting during election period

       1. 144. Broadcasting of local items during election period.

    5. Enforcement of Act

       1. 145. General function of Commission with respect to monitoring compliance with controls imposed by the Act etc.

       2. 146. Supervisory powers of Commission.

       3. 147. Civil penalty for failure to deliver documents etc.

       4. 148. General offences.

    6. Inspection of registers etc.

       1. 149. Inspection of Commission’s registers etc.

    7. Provisions relating to offences

       1. 150. Punishment of offences.

       2. 151. Summary proceedings.

       3. 152. Offences committed by bodies corporate.

       4. 153. Offences committed by unincorporated associations.

       5. 154. Duty of court to report convictions to Commission.

    8. Variation of specified sums

       1. 155. Power to vary specified sums.

    9. Supplementary

       1. 156. Orders and regulations.

       2. 157. Documents for purposes of the Act.

       3. 158. Minor and consequential amendments and repeals.

       4. 159. Financial provisions.

       5. 160. General interpretation.

       6. 161. Interpretation: donations.

       7. 162. Interpretation: exempt trust donations.

       8. 163. Short title, commencement, transitional provisions and extent.

12. Schedules:

    1. Schedule 1

       The Electoral Commission.

    2. Schedule 2

       The Speaker’s Committee.

    3. Schedule 3

       Transfer of functions of Boundary Commissions.

       1. Part I Amendments of Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986.

       2. Part II Amendments of other Acts.

    4. Schedule 4

       Applications under Part II.

       1. Part I Application for registration.

       2. Part II Application for alteration of entry.

       3. Part III Application for registration of replacement officer.

       4. Part IV Application for removal of entry.

    5. Schedule 5

       Accounting units: application of accounting requirements.

    6. Schedule 6

       Details to be given in donation reports.

    7. Schedule 7

       Control of donations to individuals and members associations.

       1. Part I Introductory.

       2. Part II Controls on donations.

       3. Part III Reporting of donations by regulated donees.

       4. Part IV Reporting of donations by donors.

       5. Part V Register of donations.

       6. Part VI Power to make special provision.

    8. Schedule 8

       Campaign expenditure: qualifying expenses.

       1. Part I Qualifying expenses.

       2. Part II Supplemental.

    9. Schedule 9

       Limits on campaign expenditure.

       1. Part I Introductory.

       2. Part II General limits.

       3. Part III Limits applying in special circumstances.

    10. Schedule 10

        Limits on controlled expenditure.

        1. Part I Introductory.

        2. Part II General limits.

        3. Part III Limits applying in special circumstances.

    11. Schedule 11

        Control of donations to recognised third parties.

        1. Part I Introductory.

        2. Part II Controls on donations.

        3. Part III Reporting of donations.

    12. Schedule 12

        Assistance available to designated organisations.

    13. Schedule 13

        Referendum expenses: qualifying expenses.

        1. Part I Qualifying expenses.

        2. Part II Supplemental.

    14. Schedule 14

        Limits on referendum expenses by permitted participants.

    15. Schedule 15

        Control of donations to permitted participants.

        1. Part I Introductory.

        2. Part II Controls on donations.

        3. Part III Reporting of donations.

    16. Schedule 16

        Control of donations to candidates: New Schedule 2A to the Representation of the People Act 1983.

        1. Part I Introductory.

        2. Part II Controls on donations.

        3. Part III Reporting of donations.

    17. Schedule 17

        Amendments relating to election petitions.

    18. Schedule 18

        Election campaigns and proceedings: miscellaneous amendments.

    19. Schedule 19

        Control of political donations by companies: new Part XA of Companies Act 1985.

    20. Schedule 20

        Penalties.

    21. Schedule 21

        Minor and consequential amendments.

    22. Schedule 22

        Repeals.

    23. Schedule 23

        Transitional provisions.

        1. Part I Transfer of registration of existing registered parties.

        2. Part II Other transitional provisions.