2003 No. 3362

REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE

The European Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers) Order 2003

Made

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(1)

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 6(2)(b) and (3)(b) of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 20021, after consultation with the Electoral Commission in accordance with section 7(2)(b) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 20002, hereby makes the following Order:

Citation, commencement and interpretation1

1

This Order may be cited as the European Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers) Order 2003 and shall come into force on the day after that on which it is made.

2

In this Order a reference to an electoral region or a constituency is a reference to that region or constituency as it is for the time being.

Revocation2

The European Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers) Order 19993 is hereby revoked.

Returning Officers in England3

The returning officer at a European Parliamentary election for the electoral region in England specified in the left-hand column of the Schedule to this Order shall be the person who is the acting returning officer at a parliamentary election for the constituency specified in the right hand-hand column of the Schedule.

Returning Officer for Scotland4

The returning officer at a European Parliamentary election for the electoral region of Scotland shall be the person who is the returning officer at a parliamentary election for the Edinburgh South constituency.

Returning Officer for Wales5

The returning officer at a European Parliamentary election for the electoral region of Wales shall be the person who is the returning officer at a parliamentary election for the Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs

Chris LeslieParliamentary Under Secretary of State,Department for Constitutional Affairs

SCHEDULERETURNING OFFICERS FOR ELECTORAL REGIONS IN ENGLAND

Article 3

Name of electoral region

Name of constituency

East Midlands

Northampton North

Eastern

Huntingdon

North East

Sunderland North

North West

Manchester Central

South East

Henley

South West

Poole

West Midlands

Birmingham Edgbaston

Yorkshire and Humber

Leeds Central

(This note is not part of the Order)

Article 2 revokes the previous Order which appointed returning officers for the electoral regions. Article 3 of, and the Schedule to, the Order designate returning officers at European Parliamentary elections for electoral regions in England, other than London. The returning officer for London is to be appointed separately. Articles 4 and 5 designate the returning officer for such elections for the electoral regions of Scotland and Wales.