Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026

(introduced by sections 17 and 23)

SCHEDULE E+W MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISION

Prospective

PART 1 E+W CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISION RELATING TO PART 1

Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2) E+W

1 (1) The Representation of the People Act 1983 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 13(1A) (publication of registers), after “election” insert “or recall poll”.

(3) In section 13AB (alteration of registers: interim publication dates)—

(a) in subsection (1)(b), after “election” insert “or recall poll”;

(b) in subsection (4), after “election” insert “or recall poll”;

(c) in subsection (5)—

(i) after “is” insert “—in respect of an election,”;

(ii) the words from “in respect of an election,” (inserted by sub-paragraph (i)) to the end become paragraph (a);

(iii) after paragraph (a) insert—

“(b) in respect of a recall poll, the 19th day before the date of the recall poll.”;

(d) in subsection (8), after paragraph (d) insert—

“(da) recall polls under Part 1 of the Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026;”.

(4) In section 13B (alteration of registers: pending elections)—

(a) in the heading, after “elections” insert “etc.”;

(b) in subsection (1), after “election”, in both places, insert “or recall poll”;

(c) in subsection (2)—

(i) in paragraph (a), after “election” insert “or recall poll”;

(ii) in paragraph (b), after “election” insert “or recall poll”;

(d) in subsection (3A)—

(i) in paragraph (a), after “election” insert “or recall poll”;

(ii) in paragraph (b)(i), after “election” insert “or recall poll”;

(e) in subsection (3C)—

(i) in paragraph (a), after “election” insert “or recall poll”;

(ii) in paragraph (c)(i), after “election” insert “or recall poll”;

(f) after subsection (4) insert—

“(4A) This section applies to recall polls under Part 1 of the Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026.”;

(g) in subsection (5)—

(i) in the definition of “the appropriate publication date”, after “election” insert “or recall poll”;

(ii) in ““the relevant election area”” and the definition that follows, after “election”, in each place it appears, insert “or recall poll”;

(h) in subsection (6)—

(i) in paragraph (a), omit “and”;

(ii) after paragraph (b) insert—

“(c) the reference in subsection (3) to—

(i) “any election” included “any recall poll”, and

(ii) “electoral area included “recall poll area.”

(5) After section 13BC (alteration of registers: recall petition) insert—

“13BCA Alteration of registers: recall polls

(1) Sections 13AB and 13B cease to apply in respect of a recall poll if and when public notice of the early termination of the poll is given in accordance with section 8(7)(b) of the Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026.

(2) But if, at the time when that public notice is given—

(a) the registration officer is under a duty under section 13AB or section 13B to issue a notice, but

(b) has not yet issued the notice,

the registration officer remains under that duty to issue the notice at the time at which it would have been required to be issued if subsection (1) had not applied.”

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. para. 1 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 26(3)

Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41) E+W

2 (1) The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 5A (further provision about reports on Welsh elections)—

(a) in the heading, after “elections” insert “and recall polls”;

(b) after subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) After a recall poll has been held, the Electoral Commission must prepare and publish a report (in such manner as the Commission may determine) on the administration of the recall poll after the Presiding Officer gave notice under section 6 of the Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026 in relation to the poll.”;

(c) in subsection (2)(b), after “(1)” insert “or (1A)”;

(d) in subsection (4), in the definition of “returning officer”, in paragraph (a) after “election” insert “or recall poll”.

(3) In section 6ZA(2) (reviews of devolved electoral matters in Wales)—

(a) after paragraph (d) insert—

“(da) recall polls;”;

(b) in paragraph (e)—

(i) for “and referendums” substitute “, referendums and recall polls”;

(ii) for “(d)” substitute “(da)”.

(4) In section 6A(1) (attendance of representatives of Commission at elections etc.), after paragraph (c) insert—

“(d) proceedings relating to a recall poll which are the responsibility of the returning officer for the poll.”

(5) In section 6C(1) (accredited observers: individuals), after “section 6A” insert “, a recall poll”.

(6) In section 6D(1) (accredited observers: organisations), after “section 6A” insert “, a recall poll”.

(7) In section 6E(4) (attendance and conduct of observers)—

(a) after paragraph (b) insert—

“(ba) in the case of any other proceedings at a recall poll, the returning officer;”;

(b) in paragraph (d), after “(b)” insert “, (ba)”.

(8) In section 6G (code of practice on attendance of observers at devolved elections in Wales)—

(a) in the heading, after “elections” insert “and other polls”;

(b) in subsection (1), after “elections” insert “and other polls”;

(c) in subsection (2), after paragraph (c) insert—

“(d) recall polls.”;

(d) in subsection (3)(e), after “election” insert “or recall poll”.

(9) In section 9AA(2) (performance standards for devolved elections and referendums in Wales)—

(a) in the heading, for “referendums” substitute “other polls”;

(b) after paragraph (b) insert—

“(ba) returning officers in the administration of recall polls;”.

(10) In section 9B (returns and reports on performance standards)—

(a) in subsection (2)(b), for “or referendums (or both)” substitute “, referendums or recall polls (or any combination of them)”;

(b) in subsection (5)(c), for “or referendums (or both)” substitute “, referendums or recall polls (or any combination of them)”.

(11) In section 10(3)(a) (giving of advice and assistance), after sub-paragraph (ii) insert—

“(iia) returning officers at recall polls,”.

(12) In section 21 (interpretation of Part 1), after subsection (2) insert—

“(3) In this Part—

• “recall poll” means a recall poll under Part 1 of the Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026;

• “returning officer, in relation to a recall poll, has the same meaning as “constituency returning officer in Part 1 of the Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026.”

Commencement Information

I2 Sch. para. 2 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 26(3)

Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32) E+W

3 In section 41 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (proceedings by or against Senedd etc.)—

(a) in subsection (1)—

(i) after “Senedd” (the first time it appears) insert “or a committee or sub-committee of the Senedd”;

(ii) after “Senedd” (the third time it appears) insert “or the committee or sub-committee of the Senedd (as the case may be)”;

(b) in subsection (3), after “Senedd” insert “or a committee or sub-committee of the Senedd”.

Commencement Information

I3 Sch. para. 3 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 26(3)

Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru etc. Act 2013 (anaw 4)‍ E+W

4 (1) The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru etc. Act 2013 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 20A(4) (electoral administrations functions), after paragraph (a) insert—

“(aa) recall polls;”.

(3) In section 20B(1) (directions to returning officers), after paragraph (b) insert—

“(ba) recall polls generally,

(bb) a particular recall poll,”.

(4) In section 20C(1) (directions to electoral registration officers), after paragraph (a) insert—

“(ba) a particular recall poll,”.

(5) In section 20I (interpretation), after the definition of “local government elections” insert—

• “recall poll” (“pôl adalw) means a recall poll under Part 1 of the Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026;”.

(6) In section 49J(8) (implementation of final report by the Welsh Ministers), after “Member of the Senedd to Senedd Cymru,” insert “the holding or conduct of a recall poll under the Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026,”.

Commencement Information

I4 Sch. para. 4 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 26(3)

PART 2 E+W MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISION RELATING TO PART 2

The National Assembly for Wales Commissioner for Standards Measure 2009 (nawm 4) E+W

5 (1) The National Assembly for Wales Commissioner for Standards Measure 2009 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 4 (appointment of an Acting Commissioner), in subsection (4)(c), for “section 1(8)(a), (b) and (c)” substitute “section 1(8)”.

(3) In section 6 (functions of the Commissioner), in subsection (1)—

(a) after paragraph (b) insert—

“(ba) to receive any referral by a Member of the Senedd as to whether, at a relevant time, the member’s own conduct failed to comply with a requirement of a relevant provision,

(bb) to investigate any such referral in accordance with the provisions of this Measure,”;

(b) in paragraph (c), for “such investigation” substitute “investigation under paragraph (b) or (bb)”;

(c) in paragraph (d), for “to which paragraph (a) applies” substitute “and referrals under this Measure and about procedures for investigating conduct under section 10A”;

(d) in paragraph (e), for “section 7” substitute “sections 7 and 10A”.

(4) In section 7 (further functions of the Commissioner), in paragraph (b) omit “complaints”.

(5) In the heading of section 9, in the Welsh text, for “gyfeirio” substitute “atgyfeirio”.

(6) In section 10 (investigation of complaints by the Commissioner)—

(a) in the heading, for “of complaints by the Commissioner” substitute “by the Commissioner of complaints and self-referrals by Members of the Senedd”;

(b) in subsection (1)—

(i) after “investigate complaints” insert “and self-referrals by Members of the Senedd”;

(ii) in paragraph (b), after “against” insert “, or self-referrals by,”;

(c) after subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) The rules mentioned in subsection (1)(b) may prescribe conditions which the Commissioner must be satisfied are met before the Commissioner conducts an investigation under this section (for example, provision about form and contents of a complaint or self-referral by a Member of the Senedd, setting time-limits for commencing an investigation or rules about evidence requirements).”;

(d) in subsection (3)—

(i) after “dismiss a complaint” insert “or self-referral by a Member of the Senedd”;

(ii) after “and” insert “, in the case of a complaint,”;

(e) in subsection (5), after “carrying out an investigation” insert “under this section”;

(f) after subsection (5) insert—

“(6) Standing Orders must make provision for investigations under this section.”

(7) In section 16(1) (restriction on disclosure of information)—

(a) the words “disclose any information” to the end become paragraph (a);

(b) after paragraph (a) insert—

“(b) disclose any information which is furnished to or obtained by them in the course of, or for the purposes of, an investigation under section 10A.”

(8) In section 19 (annual report), in subsection (4), in the English text—

(a) in the words before paragraph (a), for “Committee on Standards of Conduct” substitute “Standards of Conduct Committee”;

(b) in paragraph (b), for “which such information” substitute “with such information”.

(9) In section 20 (interpretation)—

(a) in subsection (1), in the English text—

(i) omit the definition of “the Committee on Standards of Conduct”;

(ii) in the appropriate places, insert—

• ““relevant provision” (“darpariaeth berthnasol”) has the meaning given by section 6(3);”;

• ““relevant time” (“adeg berthnasol”) has the meaning given by section 6(2), except in section 10A;”;

• ““the Standards of Conduct Committee” (“y Pwyllgor Safonau Ymddygiad) means the committee of the Senedd that must be established by virtue of section 30A of the Act;”;

(b) in subsection (2), in the English text, for “Committee on Standards of Conduct” substitute “Standards of Conduct Committee”.

Commencement Information

I5 Sch. para. 5 in force at 28.4.2026, see s. 26(1)

Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 (nawm 1) E+W

6 In Schedule 6 to the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 (persons liable to comply with standards: public bodies etc.), in the table, under the heading “General”, in the appropriate place, insert—

“The Senedd Commissioner for Standards (Comisiynydd Safonau y Senedd)

Service delivery standardsPolicy making standardsOperational standardsRecord keeping standards”

Commencement Information

I6 Sch. para. 6 in force at 28.4.2026, see s. 26(1)

Welsh Language Standards (No. 2) Regulations 2016 E+W

7 In Schedule 6 to the Welsh Language Standards (No. 2) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/182) (W. 76), at the appropriate place insert—

• “"the Senedd Commissioner for Standards (“Comisiynydd Safonau y Senedd”)”.

Commencement Information

I7 Sch. para. 7 in force at 28.4.2026, see s. 26(1)