1990 No. 1065

REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE

The Returning Officer’s Expenses (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1990

Made

Coming into force

The Treasury, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by section 29(3) of the Representation of the People Act 19831, hereby make the following Regulations:—

1

These Regulations may be cited as the Returning Officer’s Expenses (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1990 and shall come into force on 15th May 1990.

2

The maximum charges to which the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland as the returning officer responsible for the conduct of a parliamentary election in Northern Ireland shall be entitled in respect of expenses incurred by him, are the amounts specified in the Schedule to these Regulations.

3

The Returning Officers' Expenses (Northern Ireland) Regulations 19872 are hereby revoked.

Kenneth CarlisleDavid LightbownTwo of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury

SCHEDULESCALE OF MAXIMUM EXPENDITURE WHICH MAY BE INCURRED BY THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER AS THE RETURNING OFFICER FOR A PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION IN NORTHERN IRELAND IN RESPECT OF PAYMENT OF FEES AND DISBURSEMENTS TO PERSONS APPOINTED BY THE RETURNING OFFICER TO ASSIST HIM AND HIS DEPUTY ELECTORAL OFFICERS AND ALL OTHER EXPENSES IN CONNECTION WITH A PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION IN A CONSTITUENCY

Regulation 2

£

In this Schedule, “authorised maximum” in relation to an expense specified hereunder means, in relation to each constituency, the sum paid in respect of that expense to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland as the returning officer in respect of the corresponding expense incurred in connection with the parliamentary election held in the constituency on 11th June 1987 increased by 21 per cent. Provided that the maximum amount which the returning officer shall be entitled to charge in respect of all the expenses specified hereunder in relation to which the maximum amounts are specified to be the “authorised maximum” shall be the total of the maximum amounts so specified increased by £3,300 notwithstanding that the amount disbursed by him for any particular expense so specified is greater than the amount specified hereunder as the maximum amount for that expense.

Only the fees and disbursements specified hereunder shall be chargeable and, except as expressly provided in this Schedule, in no case shall a charge exceed the sum actually and necessarily paid or payable by the returning officer. Subject thereto the maximum charges shall be as follows:

I. In a contested election:

1

a

For the presiding officer at each polling station (to include all expenses, other than any travelling and overnight subsistence expenses specified in this Schedule)

84.00

b

For any person who takes over the duties of a presiding officer because of the incapacity of that presiding officer on the day of the election (with the like inclusion)

84.00

In addition, a further sum, not exceeding £5.25 may be paid to one of the presiding officers at a polling place to which there are assigned not less than 3,000 entries in the register of electors to be used at the election (as first published), being a presiding officer who acts as overall presiding officer at the polling place where the returning officer determines that such a payment is necessary for the effective conduct of the election.

2

a

For one clerk at each polling station

52.50

b

For additional clerks at a polling station either being clerks at a polling station to which there are assigned more than 700 entries in the register of electors to be used at the election (as first published) such additional clerks not to exceed one clerk for every 600 entries or fraction thereof in excess of 700, or being clerks whose employment is determined to be necessary by the returning officer for the effective conduct of the election:

  • For each additional clerk (whole-time or part-time as the case may require

52.50

3

I

For the employment of persons in connection with the manual preparation and issue of the official poll cards, including charges for superannuation contributions where payable:

a

For the initial preparation of the cards:

  • For every 100 cards or fraction thereof

3.36

b

For each revision not confined to a particular section of the cards:

i

For every 100 cards or fraction thereof prepared on initial preparation

0.53

ii

For every 100 new cards or fraction thereof prepared

3.36

Provided that if the number of new cards does not exceed 15 per cent of the number prepared on the initial preparation, the maximum charge for the revision shall be increased by 5 per cent.

c

For the revision of a particular section only of the cards (other than such a revision carried out in the course of a revision of the whole):

  • For every 100 new cards or fraction thereof prepared

3.36

d

For the completion and issue of the cards on the occasion of an election:

  • For every 100 cards or fraction thereof issued (or withdrawn in respect of voters entitled to vote bypost)

1.73

II

For the employment of persons in connection with the issue of poll cards which have not been prepared manually, including charges for superannuation contributions where payable:

  • For every 100 cards or fraction thereof

1.10

Provided that the maximum amount which a returning officer shall be entitled to charge under this paragraph shall be the total of the maximum amounts specified for such of the stages of work represented by subparagraphs (I)(a), (b), (c) and (d) and (II) above as he has carried out, notwithstanding that the amount disbursed by him for any particular stage is greater than the amount specified above as the maximum amount for that stage; provided also that the maximum amount which a returning officer shall be entitled to charge under this paragraph shall be increased by any amount by which the maximum amount which he is entitled to charge under paragraph 4 below exceeds the amount disbursed by him for the purposes described in that paragraph.

4

For the employment of persons in connection with the count and the ballot papers of electors entitled to vote by post, and for all clerical and other assistance employed by the returning officer or deputy returning officer, for the purposes of the election, including charges for day subsistence expenses and for superannuation contributions where payable.

a

If the number of entries in the register of electors to be used at the election (as first published) in the constituency does not exceed 50,000

2,739.45

  • For every additional 1,000 entries or fraction thereof over 50,000

34.18

b

For every 100 persons or fraction thereof entitled to vote by post

31.03

c

In the event of a recount of the votes being ordered:

  • For each recount

273.59

Provided that the maximum amount which a returning officer shall be entitled to charge under this paragraph shall be increased by any amount by which the maximum amount which he is entitled to charge under paragraph 3 above exceeds the amount disbursed by him for the purposes described in that paragraph.

5

Returning officer’s or deputy returning officer'stravelling and overnight subsistence expenses where necessary to make arrangements for the poll or otherwise in connection with the conduct of the election.

Authorised maximum

6

Travelling and overnight subsistence expenses of presiding officers and poll clerks (including anyexpenses incurred in conveying the ballot boxes in those cases in which presiding officers or poll clerks are responsible for the transport of the boxes to or from the polling stations).

Authorised maximum

7

Travelling and overnight subsistence expenses of clerical and other assistants employed by the returning officer or deputy returning officer where necessary to make arrangements for the poll or otherwise in connection with the conduct of the election.

Authorised maximum

8

For printing and providing ballot papers.

Authorised maximum

9

For printing and providing official poll cards.

Authorised maximum

10

For printing and providing notices and other documentsrequired in and about the election or poll and costs of publishing the same.

Authorised maximum

11

For the renting of any building or room for the purpose of the election and for expenses of heating, lighting and cleaning any building or room for such purposes.

Authorised maximum

12

For adapting and fitting up any building or room for thepurpose of the election (including the provision of voting compartments and any necessary furniture) and restoring it to fit condition for its normal use.

Authorised maximum

13

For providing ballot boxes, including any repairs.

Authorised maximum

14

For the conveyance of ballot boxes and ballot papers in those cases where the cost of transport is not included in the travelling expenses of presiding officers and poll clerks under paragraph 1.6 of this Schedule.

Authorised maximum

15

For every stamping instrument required to be purchased, hired, altered or repaired.

Authorised maximum

16

For copies of the electoral register.

Authorised maximum

17

For general stationery, postage, telephone calls, bankcharges and miscellaneous expenses.

Authorised maximum

II. In an uncontested election, for all necessary preliminary work the amount shall be the same as the amount specified for corresponding work in a contested election, except that for all clerical and other assistance employed by the returning officer or deputy returning officer for the purposes of the election, including charges for day subsistence expenses and for superannuation contributions where payable, the amount shall not be more than one-quarter of the amount specified under paragraph 1.4 of this Schedule.

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations revoke and replace the Returning Officers' Expenses (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1987 (S.I.1987/900).They prescribe, in relation to Northern Ireland, a revised scale further increasing the maximum charges in respect of expenses incurred by the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland as returning officer for the purposes of or in connection with a parliamentary election.For certain expenses the increase from 1987 is 21% plus an overall addition of £3,300 above the sums paid to the returning officer in respect of the corresponding expenses incurred in connection with the 1987 parliamentary election.Other increases are between 15% and 20% save that the maximum charges prescribed for the presiding officer and poll clerk are increased by 29% and 26% respectively.