Representation of the People (Form of Canvass) (Scotland) Regulations 2001

Statutory Instruments

2001 No. 2817 (S. 15)

REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE

Representation of the People (Form of Canvass) (Scotland) Regulations 2001

Made

2nd August 2001

Coming into force

16th August 2001

Whereas a draft of these Regulations has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament;

And whereas the Secretary of State has consulted the Electoral Commission in accordance with section 7(1) and (2)(e) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000F1 about these Regulations;

Now, therefore, the Secretary of State in exercise of the powers conferred on her by sections 10(4) and 201(1) and (3) of the Representation of the People Act 1983F2 , having regard to the definition of “prescribed” in section 202(1) of that Act, hereby makes the following Regulations:

Annotations:

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Amendments (Textual)

F1 2000 c.41.

F2 1983 c.2; section 10 was substituted by Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c.2); section 201(3) was inserted by Schedule 1 to that Act.

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Representation of the People (Form of Canvass) (Scotland) Regulations 2001 and shall come into force on the expiry of 14 days beginning with the day on which they are made.

(2) These Regulations shall extend to Scotland only.

2.  The form set out in the Schedule to these Regulations is hereby prescribed as the form to be used for the purposes of the canvass which is required to be conducted by section 10 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

GEORGE FOULKES

Minister of State at the Scotland Office

Scotland Office

2nd August 2001

Regulation 2

SCHEDULE Form of Canvass

RETURN BY OCCUPIER AS TO RESIDENTS Your right to vote

You can vote in elections only if your name appears in the register of electors. This form is used to produce a revised version of the register which will come into force at the beginning of December.

About this form

The law requires you to give the information requested in this form.

This canvass is conducted by reference to 15th October 2001. But you need not wait until then to fill in the form. Include the names of all those who will be resident in your household on that date - their right to vote is important too. However, if you are moving from your current address before 15th October, do not complete this form: please leave it for the new occupants to complete.

If there is anything you don’t understand or if you would like more information, contact your electoral registration officer at the address shown on the form.

Checking the register

The revised register is published on or shortly before 1st December and is available for inspection at your local council offices. If for some reason you have been missed off, or your details have changed since 15th October 2001 (for example, because you have moved address) you should apply immediately to have your name added to the register or to have the register altered.

Absent voting

Anyone on the electoral register can vote by post. You can arrange to have a postal vote for a particular election, for a set period or for an indefinite period. You may also be able to vote by proxy. Ask the electoral registration officer for further details.

ANNUAL CANVASS OF ELECTORS [insert year]

You are required by law to give the information requested in this form.

Be sure to include those resident in your household who are:

• –British citizens, citizens of another Commonwealth country or of the Irish Republic.

• –16 and 17 year olds – they can vote as soon as they are 18. Please give their dates of birth in Part 4.

• –temporarily away – for example on holiday, as students, in hospital (including voluntary patients in psychiatric hospitals).

• –away working, unless his or her absence will total more than six months.

• –any other residents, lodgers or guests (but not short-stay visitors) in your household, whether this is a private address, a hostel or a club, including merchant seamen who live there when not at sea.

• –citizens of other Member States of the European Union (who will be registered as local government electors only). These states are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

Do not include:

• –Foreign nationals – except for citizens of Member States of the European Union and Commonwealth citizens.

• –People under 16.

• –Anybody normally resident at your address who is serving a prison sentence on 15th October.

• –Anybody who will be leaving your address before 15th October.

 

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Under section 10 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as substituted by Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 2000) each registration officer is required to conduct an annual canvass (by reference to residence on 15th October in that year) in his registration area to ascertain the persons who are entitled to be or remain registered as parliamentary or local government electors in that area. These Regulations specify a form for the purposes of that canvass.