The European Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Under section 6(4) of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (c. 24) the returning officer for Northern Ireland is the Chief Electoral Officer. This Order, which extends only to Northern Ireland, provides for the payment of the returning officer at European Parliamentary elections. Under regulation 4 of the European Parliamentary Elections (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/1267) (“2004 Regulations”), the Chief Electoral Officer may appoint deputies and clerks to discharge, or assist him in, his functions in relation to an election.

Under regulation 16(1) of the 2004 Regulations the returning officer at a European Parliamentary election is entitled to recover his charges in respect of his expenses properly incurred in connection with such an election if the expenses are of a kind specified in any order under that provision and the charges in respect of them are reasonable.

Part A and B of the Schedule to this Order specify the kinds of expenses incurred by the returning officer for or in connection with a European Parliamentary election in respect of which he is entitled to recover his charges, together (in the case of Part A) with the maximum recoverable amounts in respect of those charges.

This Order increases the maximum recoverable amounts from those which were specified in the European Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1342), which is revoked by this Order.