2026 No. 81
Representation of the people, wales

The Representation of the People (Removal of the Edited Register) (Wales) Regulations 2026

Made
Coming into force
The Welsh Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred on the Secretary of State by sections 53(1) and (4) and 201(1) of the Representation of the People Act 19831 (“the 1983 Act”) and now exercisable by them2.
In accordance with the Senedd approval procedure applied by section 201(2)3 of the 1983 Act4 a draft of this Welsh statutory instrument was laid before, and approved by resolution of, Senedd Cymru.

Title and coming into force

1.

(1)

The title of these Regulations is the Representation of the People (Removal of the Edited Register) (Wales) Regulations 2026.

(2)

These Regulations come into force on 1 October 2026.

Amendments to the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001

2.

The Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 20015 are amended in accordance with regulations 3 to 5.

3.

In regulation 93 (edited version of register), after paragraph (7) insert—

“(8)

This regulation does not apply to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales.”

4.

In regulation 93A (notifying registration officer of change to edited register preference), after paragraph (4) insert—

“(5)

This regulation does not apply to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales.”

5.

In regulation 110 (sale of edited register), after paragraph (2) insert—

“(3)

This regulation does not apply to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales.”

Edited version of a register of local government electors for an area in Wales in force prior to the coming into force of these Regulations

6.

From the day these Regulations come into force, an electoral registration officer responsible for a register of local government electors for an area in Wales6 must cease to make available, for public inspection and sale, the edited version of that register that is in force at that time.
Jayne Bryant
Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, one of the Welsh Ministers
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)

As part of the introduction of electoral registration without applications, under the changes made by the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (“the 2024 Act”), these Regulations disapply the requirements in the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 (“the 2001 Regulations”) placed upon Electoral Registration Officers to prepare edited registers of local government electors for an area in Wales or supply such registers or part of them to any person on payment of a fee.

In accordance with section 72(5)(d) of the 2024 Act, the provisions of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of that Act (electoral registration without applications) may not be commenced until the requirements to prepare and supply an edited register of local government electors for an area in Wales are no longer in force.

Regulation 3 disapplies regulation 93 (edited version of register) of the 2001 Regulations in relation to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales.

Regulation 4 disapplies regulation 93A (notifying registration officer of change to edited register preference) of the 2001 Regulations in relation to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales.

Regulation 5 disapplies regulation 110 (sale of edited register) of the 2001 Regulations in relation to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales.

Regulation 6 requires a registration officer responsible for a register of local government electors for an area in Wales to cease to make available, for public inspection and sale, the edited version of that register that is in force at the time of the coming into force of these Regulations.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ and is published on www.gov.wales.