The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 2005

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 and shall come into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

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

Expenses in respect of which a returning officer at a parliamentary election may recover his charges

2.—(1) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of section 29(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1983(1), the expenses a returning officer(2) is entitled to recover, in respect of expenses properly incurred for or in connection with a parliamentary election are those—

(a) of a kind specified in paragraphs 1(1), 2(1), 3(1), 4(1), and 5(1) of Part A of the Schedule to this Order; and

(b) of a kind specified in Part B of the Schedule to this Order.

(2) The maximum recoverable amount at an uncontested election is hereby specified as £1,123.48 in respect of the expenses specified in Part A of the Schedule.

(3) In the Schedule to this Order—

(a) “election” means a parliamentary election;

(b) “combined poll” refers to the poll at a parliamentary election and the poll at some other election when they are taken together under section 15(1) or (2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985(3), and

(c) any reference to the register of electors is to the register of electors used at the election at which the expenses were incurred and to that register as it has effect on the last day for publication of notice of the election.

Revocation

3.  The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997(4) is hereby revoked.

J Spellar

Minister of State

Northern Ireland Office

10th April 2005

We consent to the Order

J Heppell

J Murphy

Two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury

7th April 2005