42ASelection of candidates

1

Nothing in Parts 2 to 4 shall—

a

be construed as affecting arrangements to which this section applies, or

b

render unlawful anything done in accordance with such arrangements.

2

This section applies to arrangements made by a registered political party which—

a

regulate the selection of the party’s candidates in a relevant election, and

b

are adopted for the purpose of reducing inequality in the numbers of men and women elected, as candidates of the party, to be members of the body concerned.

3

The following elections are relevant elections for the purposes of this section—

a

parliamentary elections;

b

elections to the European Parliament;

c

elections to the Scottish Parliament;

d

elections to the National Assembly for Wales;

e

local government elections within the meaning of section 191, 203 or 204 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2) (excluding any election of the Mayor of London).

4

In this section “registered political party” means a party registered in the Great Britain register under Part 2 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41).