47.—(1) Sums paid out and election expenses incurred by or on behalf of an individual candidate at an election must not in the aggregate exceed the maximum amount specified in paragraph (4).
(2) The references in paragraph (1) to sums paid out and expenses incurred on behalf of an individual candidate include sums being paid and expenses being incurred by the election agent or by a person acting on the written authority of an election agent or sub-agent.
(3) Where any election expenses are incurred in excess of a maximum amount specified in paragraph (4), any candidate or election agent who—
(a)incurred, or authorised the incurring of, the election expenses, and
(b)knew or ought reasonably to have known that the expenses would be incurred in excess of that maximum amount,
shall be guilty of an illegal practice.
(4) That maximum amount is £45,000 multiplied by the number of MEPs to be returned for the electoral region at that election.
(5) The maximum amount mentioned above for an individual candidate at a European Parliamentary election is not required to cover the individual candidate’s personal expenses.