23The new registers
(1)In place of the register of political parties maintained by the registrar of companies under the [1998 c. 48.] Registration of Political Parties Act 1998, there shall be the new registers of political parties mentioned in subsection (2) which—
(a)shall be maintained by the Commission, and
(b)(subject to the provisions of this section) shall be so maintained in such form as the Commission may determine.
(2)The new registers of political parties are—
(a)a register of parties that intend to contest relevant elections in one or more of England, Scotland and Wales (referred to in this Act as “the Great Britain register”); and
(b)a register of parties that intend to contest relevant elections in Northern Ireland (referred to in this Act as “the Northern Ireland register”).
(3)Each party registered in the Great Britain register shall be so registered in respect of one or more of England, Scotland and Wales; and the entry for each party so registered shall be marked so as to indicate—
(a)the part or parts of Great Britain in respect of which it is registered; and
(b)if the party is a minor party, that it is such a party.
(4)A party may be registered under this Part in both of the new registers, but where a party is so registered—
(a)the party as registered in the Great Britain register, and
(b)the party as registered in the Northern Ireland register,
shall constitute two separate registered parties.
(5)In such a case—
(a)the party shall for the purposes of this Act be so organised and administered as to secure that the financial affairs of the party in Great Britain are conducted separately from those of the party in Northern Ireland;
(b)the financial affairs of the party in Great Britain or (as the case may be) Northern Ireland, shall accordingly constitute for those purposes the financial affairs of the party as registered in the Great Britain register or (as the case may be) the Northern Ireland register; and
(c)any application for the registration of a party in accordance with subsection (4) shall similarly be made and determined by reference to the party’s organisation and activities in Great Britain and Northern Ireland respectively.
(6)The Secretary of State may by order make provision for the transfer to the Commission of any property, rights and liabilities to which the registrar of companies is entitled or subject in connection with his functions under the [1998 c. 48.] Registration of Political Parties Act 1998; and an order under this subsection may in particular provide for the order to have effect despite any provision (of whatever nature) which would prevent or restrict the transfer of the property, rights or liabilities otherwise than by the order.