Disqualification
Section 19: Judicial proceedings as to disqualification
91.This section provides for a procedure before the High Court for establishing whether an Assembly member is disqualified or has been disqualified from membership. It is similar to the procedure before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council provided in relation to disqualification from membership of the House of Commons by section 7 of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, and to the procedure before the Court of Session in relation to disqualification from the Scottish Parliament under section 18 of the Scotland Act 1998.
92.Subsection (1) provides that a person who claims that a member of the Assembly is, or has (since being elected) been, disqualified may apply to the High Court for a declaration to that effect (i.e. a court order which establishes and declares that to be the case). No declaration may be made, however, on grounds which subsisted at the time of the election if an election petition is pending or has been tried in which the disqualification on those grounds is or was an issue or if a resolution has already been passed by the Assembly under section 17(3) to the effect that the disqualification is to be disregarded.
93.An applicant to the court under this section must such give security for the costs of the proceedings as the court directs, up to a maximum sum of £5000 (the same maximum sum that an election court may order in relation to a Parliamentary election petition under Part 3 of the Representation of the People Act 1983). The maximum sum may be varied by order made by the Welsh Ministers (and which would be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the Assembly).