The Greater London Authority Elections (Election Addresses) (Amendment) Order 2008

Statutory Instruments

2008 No. 507

London Government

The Greater London Authority Elections (Election Addresses) (Amendment) Order 2008

Made

25th February 2008

Coming into force

26th February 2008

This Order is made in exercise of the power conferred by section 17A(3) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999(1).

The Secretary of State has consulted the Mayor, the London Assembly and such other persons and bodies as he has determined to be appropriate in accordance with section 17A(6) of that Act(2).

The Secretary of State has consulted the Electoral Commission in accordance with section 7(1) and 7(2)(i) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(3).

A draft of this Order has been laid before Parliament in accordance with section 420(3)(za) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999(4) and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

The Secretary of State makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Greater London Authority Elections (Election Addresses) (Amendment) Order 2008 and shall come into force on the day after it is made.

Interpretation

2.  In the following provisions of this Order any reference to an article by number alone is a reference to the article bearing that number in the Greater London Authority Elections (Election Addresses) Order 2003(5).

Anonymous electors

3.  Article 2 is re-numbered article 2(1), and for paragraph (ii) of the definition of “elector” in that article, substitute—

“(ii) includes a person then shown in any such register (or, in the case of a person who has an anonymous entry in any such register, in the record of anonymous entries for that electoral area) as below voting age if (but only if) it appears from the register (or from the record) that he will be of voting age on the day fixed for the poll.”.

4.  After article 2(1) insert—

“(2) In paragraph (ii) of the definition of “elector” in article 2, “anonymous entry” and “record of anonymous entries” have the meaning given in section 202(1) of the 1983 Act.”(6).

Use of joint descriptions

5.  After article 5(3) insert—

“(3A) Where an election address is prepared on behalf of an authorised party candidate, the address may contain a description registered under section 28A or, if the description is registered for use by candidates of two or more parties, under section 28B of the PPER Act.”(7).

6.  In article 5(4)—

(a) for “paragraph (3) above” substitute “paragraphs (3) and (3A)”;

(b) after “emblem” insert “or description”;

(c) in subparagraph (a), after “party” insert “where the description is registered under section 28A of the PPER Act, or of each of the parties where the description is registered under section 28B of that Act”.

Miscellaneous amendments

7.  In article 7(1)(b), for “by such date as he may determine” substitute “by the last time for the delivery of nomination papers for the election”.

8.  In article 8(1), after “GLRO” insert “, as soon as reasonably practicable after the last time for the delivery of nomination papers for the election”.

9.  For article 9(3)(b), substitute—

“(b) making printed copies, or copies of the booklet in any electronic format, available to anyone who makes a request to the GLRO for such copies;”.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State

Bridget Prentice

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Ministry of Justice

25th February 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Greater London Authority (Election Addresses) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/1907). That Order makes provision for the free delivery of elections addresses, prepared by candidates, at ordinary elections for the Mayor of London, and collated in an election booklet, to electors in London.

The purpose of articles 3 and 4 of this Order is to provide for persons, including those who are anonymously registered, to receive an election booklet.

The purpose of articles 5 and 6 of this Order is to permit candidates to include a joint description in their election address.

The purpose of articles 7 and 8 is to provide that candidates’ election addresses must be submitted by the close of nominations, and the purpose of article 9 is to make it clear that the GLRO may, on request, supply the booklet in a format other than a printed format.

(1)

1999 c. 29. Section 17A was inserted by section 14 of the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c.2). That section was also amended by article 4(1) of, and paragraph 14 of Schedule 1 to the Postal Services Act 2000 (Consequential Modifications to Local Enactments No. 1) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/648), and by section 10(2) of, and Paragraph 18 of Schedule 1 to the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22).

(2)

Section 17A(6) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 requires the Secretary of State to consult the Mayor, London Assembly and such other persons and bodies as the Secretary of State may determine before making an order under section 17A(3).

(3)

2000 c.41. Section 7(1) and (2)(i) require the Secretary of State to consult the Electoral Commission before making an order under section 17A(3) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999.

(4)

1999 c. 29. Section 420(3)(za) was inserted by section 14(1) and (3) of the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c.2).

(5)

S.I. 2003/1907.

(6)

1983 c.2. The definitions of “anonymous entry” and “record of anonymous entries” were inserted by paragraph 13 of Schedule 1 to the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22).

(7)

Sections 28A and 28B of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c.41) were inserted by section 49 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c.22).