Part I The Electoral Commission

Commission’s general functions

I1C110 Giving of advice and assistance.

1

The Commission may, at the request of any relevant body, provide the body with advice and assistance as respects any matter in which the Commission have skill and experience.

2

The assistance which may be so provided includes (in particular) the secondment of members of the Commission’s staff.

3

The Commission may also—

a

provide advice and assistance to—

i

registration officers,

ii

returning officers at relevant elections,

iii

registered parties,

iv

recognised third parties within the meaning of Part VI, F3...

v

permitted participants within the meaning of Part VII;

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petition officers in relation to recall petitions, and

vii

accredited campaigners within the meaning of Schedule 3 to the Recall of MPs Act 2015 (see Part 5 of that Schedule);

b

provide advice and assistance to other persons which is incidental to, or otherwise connected with, the discharge by the Commission of their functions.

4

The Commission—

a

may make charges for advice or assistance provided by them under subsection (1); but

b

may not make charges for advice and assistance provided under subsection (3).

5

Nothing in this section authorises the Commission to provide any form of financial assistance.

6

In this section “relevant body” means—

a

the Scottish Parliament;

b

the Scottish Executive;

c

the National Assembly for Wales;

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the Welsh Ministers;

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the National Assembly for Wales Commission;

d

the Northern Ireland Assembly;

e

the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly;

f

any of the following local authorities—

i

in England, the council of a county, district or London borough,

ii

in Wales, the council of a county or county borough, and

iii

in Scotland, a council constituted under section 2 of the M1Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994;

g

a national or regional parliament or government in a country other than the United Kingdom;

h

a body in any such other country having functions corresponding to any of the functions of the Commission;

i

an organisation of which two or more countries (or their governments) are members or a subordinate body of such an organisation.

7

In this section “relevant election” means any election falling within section 22(5) F5....

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