The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers' Charges) Order 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order, which applies in Great Britain, revokes and replaces the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers' Charges) Order 1994 (“the 1994 Order”).

Under section 29(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as substituted by the Representation of the People Act 1991), the entitlement of a returning officer at a parliamentary election to recover his charges in respect of his services or expenses for or in connection with such an election depends upon—

(a) the services or expenses being of a kind specified in an order under that provision,

(b) the services being properly rendered and the expenses being properly incurred, and

(c) the charges in respect of them being reasonable.

Part A of the Schedule to this Order specifies the kinds of services rendered by a returning officer for or in connection with a parliamentary election in respect of which he is entitled to recover his charges, together with maximum recoverable amounts in respect of those services. Parts B and C of the Schedule specify the kinds of expenses incurred by a returning officer for or in connection with a parliamentary election in respect of which he is entitled to recover his charges, together (in the case of Part B) with the maximum recoverable amounts in respect of those charges. Parts A and B of the Schedule to this Order increase the maximum recoverable amounts from those that were specified in the equivalent provision in the 1994 Order. Unlike the 1994 Order, no separate amount is payable under Part A in respect of the returning officer’s services in connection with preparation and issue of the official poll cards. Part B no longer makes different charges in respect of the preparation of the official poll cards depending on whether or not a computer is used. In addition, this Order makes provision for additional payments where the poll at a parliamentary election is taken together with the poll at some other election.