Statutory Instruments

2023 No. 1305

Representation Of The People, Wales

The Parliamentary Elections and Recall Petition (Welsh Forms) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2023

Made

30th November 2023

Laid before Parliament

4th December 2023

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2)

The Secretary of State makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 26(2) of the Welsh Language Act 1993(1), as applied by section 22 of the Representation of the People Act 1985(2) and section 21(5) of the Recall of MPs Act 2015(3).

Citation, commencement, savings and extent

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Parliamentary Elections and Recall Petition (Welsh Forms) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2023.

(2) This Order comes into force on 12th December 2023.

(3) Despite paragraph (2), this Order has no effect in relation to—

(a)any parliamentary election in respect of which the date of the poll specified in the notice of election is on or before 1st May 2024;

(b)any recall petition in respect of which the date for the beginning of any signing period specified in the notice of petition is on or before 1st May 2024.

(4) This Order extends to England and Wales.

Amendment of the Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) Order 2007

2.—(1) The Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) Order 2007(4) is amended as follows.

(2) In article 4 (Welsh versions of forms of words), in paragraph (1), after sub-paragraph (b), insert—

“(c)“cyfeiriad yn ardal [ardal berthnasol]” is prescribed as the form of words in Welsh for “address in [relevant area]”.”.

(3) In article 6 (Welsh and English versions of prescribed forms and a form of words), in paragraph (1), in sub-paragraph (o), for “form K” substitute “form K1”.

(4) In Schedule 1 (Welsh version of prescribed forms and a form of words), for form 3 (nomination paper) substitute the corresponding form in Part 1 of Schedule 1 to this Order.

(5) In Schedule 2 (Welsh and English versions of prescribed forms and a form of words), for form 6 (official postal poll card), form 8 (official proxy postal poll card), form 12 (postal voting statement), form 13 (postal voting statement for use where there is a joint issue and receipt of postal ballot papers), form 14 (postal voting statement for use when a poll is combined with another poll but the postal ballot papers are not combined), and form 15 (statement as to postal ballot papers) substitute the corresponding forms in Part 2 of Schedule 1 to this Order.

Amendment of the Recall Petition (Welsh Forms) Order 2022

3. In Part 1 of the Schedule to the Recall Petition (Welsh Forms) Order 2022(5) (Welsh and English forms), for form E (official petition notice for an elector who may sign the petition by post), form G (official petition notice for a proxy who may sign the petition by post), form K (postal petition statement) and form L (statement as to postal petition signing sheets, proxies and additional data) substitute the corresponding form in Schedule 2 to this Order.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Simon Hoare

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

30th November 2023

Article 2(4) and (5)

SCHEDULE 1New forms: Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) Order 2007

PART 1Welsh version of prescribed forms

Form 3 (nomination paper)

PART 2Welsh and English versions of prescribed forms

Form 6 (official postal poll card)

Form 8 (official proxy postal poll card)

Form 12 (postal voting statement)

Form 13 (postal voting statement for use where there is a joint issue and receipt of postal ballot papers)

Form 14 (postal voting statement for use when a poll is combined with another poll but the postal ballot papers are not combined)

Form 15 (statement as to postal ballot papers)

Article 3

SCHEDULE 2New forms: Recall Petition (Welsh Forms) Order 2022

Form E (official petition notice for an elector who may sign the petition by post)

Form G (official petition notice for a proxy who may sign the petition by post)

Form K (postal petition statement)

Form L (statement as to postal petition signing sheets, proxies and additional data)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/1014) and the Recall Petition (Welsh Forms) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/1405) by updating a form of words and a number of forms used at parliamentary elections and recall petitions in Wales, following amendments made to equivalent English versions of those forms and form of words by the Representation of the People (Postal Vote Handling and Secrecy) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1225) or as a result of sections 5, 10 and 11 of the Elections Act 2022 (c. 37).

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

(1)

1993 c. 38. See section 26(4) for the meaning of “the appropriate Minister”.

(2)

1985 c. 50. Section 22 was substituted by section 35(5) of the Welsh Language Act 1993.

(3)

2015 c. 25.

(4)

S.I. 2007/1014, amended by S.I. 2015/803; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

(5)

S.I. 2022/1405, to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.