1. These Regulations may be cited as the Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 and come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.
2. The Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001(1) are amended in accordance with regulations 3 to 11.
3. In regulation 3(3A) (interpretation), omit “32ZC, 32ZD,”.
4. In regulation 26 (applications for registration)—
(a)in paragraph (3) after sub-paragraph (ea) insert—
“(eb)space for the applicant to provide information as to whether the applicant is the only person aged 16 or over resident at the address in respect of which the application is made and an explanation that provision of this information is not mandatory;”;
(b)in paragraph (4) after sub-paragraph (b) insert—
“(c)not include space for the information mentioned in paragraph (3)(eb).”;
(c)for paragraph (5) substitute—
“(5) The paper application form for persons applying to be registered in pursuance of an overseas elector’s declaration must—
(a)instead of the information required in paragraph (1)(b), request—
(i)the last address at which the applicant was registered as an elector; and
(ii)the address at which the applicant can be contacted; and
(b)not include space for the information mentioned in paragraph (3)(eb).”;
(d)after paragraph (5) insert—
“(5A) The paper application form for persons applying to be registered in pursuance of a declaration of local connection must not include space for the information mentioned in paragraph (3)(eb).”;
(e)in paragraph (6) for “(3), (4) and (5)” substitute “(3) to (5A)”.
5. In regulation 26B(6)(c) (power to request additional evidence)—
(a)in paragraph (ii) for “in the same local authority area as the applicant” substitute “in a local authority area in England or Wales”;
(b)for paragraph (iv) substitute—
“(iv)who has not already signed attestations under this regulation for two applicants since, whichever is the later,—
(aa)the date on which the revised register in which that person’s name appears was last published under section 13(1) of the 1983 Act; or
(bb)the date on which that person was added to the register by a notice of alteration under section 13A(2) of that Act.”
6. In regulation 32ZA (annual canvass)—
(a)insert “Subject to paragraphs (4A) and (4B), ” at the beginning of paragraph (4);
(b)after paragraph (4) insert—
“(4A) Where, during the period beginning with 1st July in each year and ending with the date in that year on which the registration officer publishes a revised version of the register under section 13(1) of the 1983 Act,—
(a)the registration officer receives an application under section 10ZC or 10ZD of the 1983 Act;
(b)the application contains information provided by the applicant in accordance with regulation 26(3)(eb), which indicates that the applicant is the only person aged 16 or over resident at the address in respect of which the application has been made;
(c)the registration officer determines that the applicant is entitled to be registered in respect of that address;
the registration officer is not required (if the officer has not done so already) to send a canvass form to that address under paragraph (4) as part of the annual canvass for that year.
(4B) Where—
(a)the registration officer receives an application under section 10ZC or 10ZD of the 1983 Act outside the period specified in paragraph (4A);
(b)the application contains information provided by the applicant in accordance with regulation 26(3)(eb), which indicates that the applicant is the only person aged 16 or over resident at the address in respect of which the application has been made;
(c)the registration officer determines that the applicant is entitled to be registered in respect of that address;
the registration officer is not required to send a canvass form to that address under paragraph (4) as part of the next annual canvass the registration officer is required to conduct under section 9D of the 1983 Act.”
7. In regulation 32ZB (steps to be taken by a registration officer where no information in response to an annual canvass form is received in respect of a particular address), after paragraph (5) insert—
“(5A) A registration officer is not required by paragraph (1), (2) or (3) to take any steps if, before he would otherwise be required to do so—
(a)the registration officer receives an application under section 10ZC or 10ZD of the 1983 Act;
(b)the application contains information provided by the applicant in accordance with regulation 26(3)(eb), which indicates that the applicant is the only person aged 16 or over resident at the address to which the annual canvass form was sent; and
(c)the registration officer has determined that the applicant is entitled to be registered in respect of that address.”
8. In regulation 32ZC (invitations to apply for registration)—
(a)in paragraph (2)—
(i)in sub-paragraph (b) omit “and”;
(ii)at the end of sub-paragraph (c) insert “and”;
(iii)after sub-paragraph (c) insert—
“(d)the website address of the digital service.”;
(b)in paragraph (3) before sub-paragraph (a) insert—
“(za)the registration officer must give the invitation either—
(i)by delivering it to the person, leaving it at the person’s address or sending it to the person’s address by post; or
(ii)by electronic means;”;
(c)after paragraph (3) insert—
“(3A) Paragraphs (3)(c) and (d) do not apply where the registration officer gives the invitation by electronic means in accordance with paragraph (3)(za)(ii).”.
9. In regulation 60B(11) (requirement to provide fresh signatures following rejection of a postal voting statement), for “3(4)” substitute “3(9)”.
10. In regulation 91 (forwarding of documents), after paragraph (3A) insert—
“(3B) Sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (3A) applies to an Authority election as if the reference to the constituency was a reference to the electoral area.”.
11. In regulation 101 (supply of free copy of full register etc)—
(a)at the end of paragraph (1) insert “and the Local Government Boundary Commission for England”;
(b)in paragraph (2), for “Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales” substitute “Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales”.
John Penrose
Minister for Constitutional Reform
Cabinet Office
27th June 2016