1996 No. 897
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE
The Returning Officers (Parliamentary Constituencies) (Wales) Order 1996
Made 21st March 1996
Coming into force in accordance with article 2

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections 24(1)(cc) and 28(1)(b) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, hereby makes the following Order:
1983 c. 2; section 24(1)(cc) was inserted by paragraph 68(3) of Schedule 16 to the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 (c. 19).

1 1 This Order may be cited as the Returning Officers (Parliamentary Constituencies) (Wales) Order 1996.
2 References to constituencies in this Order are references to the constituencies in Wales, which are established by the Parliamentary Constituencies (Wales) Order 1995 or any subsequent Order in Council in respect of Wales under the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986.
S.I.1995/1036.
1986 c. 56.
2 1 Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) below, this Order shall come into force on the issue of a proclamation by Her Majesty summoning a new Parliament.
2 Article 3(3) below shall come into force on 1st April 1996.
3 For the purposes of proceedings preliminary or relating to a parliamentary election held after the issue of the proclamation referred to in paragraph (1) above, this Order shall come into force on 1st April 1996.
3 1 Articles 3, 4 and 6 of the Returning Officers (Parliamentary Constituencies) (England and Wales) Order 1983 are hereby revoked so far as they relate to Wales.
S.I.1983/468, to which there was an amendment not relevant to this Order.
2 Part II of Schedules 1, 2 and 3 to that Order are hereby revoked.
3 The Returning Officers (Parliamentary Constituencies) (Wales) Order 1995 is hereby revoked.
S.I.1995/1142.
4 In the case of the county constituency specified in column 1 of Schedule 1 to this Order, being a county constituency which is not coterminous with or wholly contained in a preserved county as defined by section 64 of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, the sheriff of the preserved county specified in column 2 of that Schedule opposite to the name of the constituency shall be the returning officer at a parliamentary election.
1994 c. 19.
5 In the case of a borough constituency of Cardiff South and Penarth, being a borough constituency which is not coterminous with or wholly contained in a county or county borough, the chairman of Cardiff County Council shall be the returning officer for a parliamentary election.
6 In the case of a county constituency specified in column 1 of Schedule 2 to this Order, the duties of the returning officer for a parliamentary election shall be discharged, as acting returning officer, by the officer of the council appointed to be the electoral registration officer by the council of the county or county borough specified in column 2 of that Schedule opposite to the name of the constituency.
Tom Sackville Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Home Office 21st March 1996

SCHEDULE 1 RETURNING OFFICER FOR CERTAIN COUNTY CONSTITUENCIES
Article 4
1	2
Name of county constituency	Preserved county of which sheriff is returning officer
Bridgend	Mid Glamorgan
Clwyd South	Clwyd
Pontypridd	Mid Glamorgan

SCHEDULE 2 ACTING RETURNING OFFICERS FOR COUNTY CONSTITUENCIES
Article 6
1	2
Name of county constituency	County or county borough for which registration officer is acting returning officer
Aberavon	Neath and Port Talbot
Alyn and Deeside	Flintshire
Blaenau Gwent	Blaenau Gwent
Brecon and Radnorshire	Powys
Bridgend	Bridgend
Caernarfon	Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire
Caerphilly	Caerphilly
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr	Carmarthenshire
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire	Pembrokeshire
Ceredigion	Cardiganshire
Clwyd South	Wrexham
Clwyd West	Aberconwy and Colwyn
Conwy	Aberconwy and Colwyn
Cynon Valley	Rhondda, Cynon, Taff
Delyn	Flintshire
Gower	Swansea
Islwyn	Caerphilly
Llanelli	Carmarthenshire
Meirionnydd Nant Conwy	Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney	Merthyr Tydfil
Monmouth	Monmouthshire
Montgomeryshire	Powys
Neath	Neath and Port Talbot
Newport East	Newport
Newport West	Newport
Ogmore	Bridgend
Pontypridd	Rhondda, Cynon, Taff
Preseli Pembrokeshire	Pembrokeshire
Rhondda	Rhondda, Cynon, Taff
Torfaen	Torfaen
Vale of Clwyd	Denbighshire
Vale of Glamorgan	The Vale of Glamorgan
Wrexham	Wrexham
Ynys MÔn	Anglesey

(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order makes fresh provision in respect of the designation of returning officers and acting returning officers in Wales as a result of the changes to local government made by the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994. In particular, paragraph 68(3) of Schedule 16 to that Act amended section 24(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (which provides for returning officers at parliamentary elections).
This Order refers to the constituencies established by the Parliamentary Constituencies (Wales) Order 1995. Like that Order, this Order does not come fully into force until the next parliamentary general election (article 2(1) of this Order).
Article 6 of, and Schedule 2 to, this Order designate the acting returning officers for county constituencies in Wales. Article 4 of, and Schedule 1 to, this Order designate returning officers in those county constituencies which are not coterminous with or wholly contained in a preserved county in Wales. Under section 64 of the 1994 Act, that expression refers to counties created by the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70). Article 5 of this Order designates the returning officer for Cardiff South and Penarth, being a borough constituency which is not coterminous with or wholly contained in a county or county borough.