The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Order 2001

Statutory Instruments

2001 No. 1659

REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE

The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Order 2001

Made

30th April 2001

Coming into force

15th May 2001

In exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 29(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1983(1), the Secretary of State hereby makes the following Order with the consent of the Treasury:

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Order 2001 and shall come into force on 15th May 2001.

(2) This Order shall extend to Northern Ireland only.

2.—(1) The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997(2) (“the 1997 Order”) is amended as follows.

(2) In article 2(3) of the 1997 Order (maximum recoverable amount at an uncontested election), for “£912.52” substitute “£1,007.97”.

(3) In article 2(4)(b) of the 1997 Order, for the words “first published” substitute “it has effect on the last day for publication of the notice of election”.

(4) In the Schedule to the 1997 Order—

(a) in Part A (expenses of returning officer for which maximum recoverable amounts are specified):

(i) for “£110.70” substitute “122.28”;

(ii) for “£6.74” substitute “£7.45”;

(iii) for “£70.00” substitute “£77.32”;

(iv) for “£1.40” substitute “£1.55”;

(v) for “£4,038.45” substitute “£4,460.87”;

(vi) for “£43.81” substitute “£48.39”;

(vii) for “£39.77” substitute “£43.93”; and

(viii) for “£350.79” substitute “£387.48”;

(b) Part B (expenses of returning officer for which no maximum recoverable amounts are specified) shall be amended by adding after item 10—

“10A.   Expenses in the provision to each polling station of the large version of the ballot paper and of the prescribed device for assisting voters with disabilities.”.

John Reid

One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State

Northern Ireland Office

20th April 2001

We consent to this Order

David Clelland

Greg Pope

Two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury

30th April 2001

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order, which applies in Northern Ireland, amends the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

Paragraphs (2) and (4)(a) of article 2 increase the maximum recoverable amounts which the Chief Electoral Officer as the returning officer for each constituency at a parliamentary election in Northern Ireland is entitled to recover in respect of his expenses in connection with the election.

Under article 2(4)(b) he is also to be entitled to recover expenses for providing at polling stations the large version of the ballot paper and the prescribed device to assist voters with disabilities. Provisions for assistance with voting for persons with disabilities were contained in amendments made by section 13 of the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c. 2).

(1)

1983 c. 2; section 29 has been amended by section 1 of the Representation of the People Act 1991 (c. 11) and by the Transfer of Functions (Returning Officers' Charges) Order 1991 (S.I. 1991/1728). The functions formerly conferred on the Treasury have been transferred to the Secretary of State by that Order. The powers in section 29(3) are extended by section 29(4) to (4C), as so amended. Section 29(3) has been substituted by paragraph 6 of Schedule 21 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41), but that amendment is not yet in force.

(2)

S.I. 1997/774.