Political Parties Elections and Referendums Bill

Political Parties Elections and Referendums Bill - continued	House of Commons

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SCHEDULE 17

ELECTION CAMPAIGNS AND PROCEEDINGS: MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS

Preliminary

1. The Representation of the People Act 1983 shall be amended as follows.

Contracts about election expenses

2. Section 72 (contracts through election agent) shall be omitted.

Returns of election expenses

3. - (1) Section 81 shall be amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) the words "in the form set out in Schedule 3 to this Act, or to the like effect" shall be omitted.

(3) For subsection (2) there shall be substituted-

	"(2) A return under this section must-
	(a) specify the poll by virtue of which the return is required;
	(b) specify the name of the candidate to whom the return relates and of the candidate's election agent; and
	(c) deal under a separate heading with any expenses in respect of which a return is required by virtue of section 75(2) above."

(4) In subsection (3), for paragraph (d) there shall be substituted-

	"(d) any declarations of value falling to be made by the candidate's election agent by virtue of section 90C(3) below; and
	(e) a statement of donations made to the candidate or his election agent which complies with the requirements of paragraphs 9 and 10 of Schedule 2A to this Act."

(5) After subsection (5) there shall be inserted-

"(6) The Electoral Commission may, by regulations, prescribe a form of return which may be used for the purposes of making the return required by this section."

4. Section 82(4) (person before whom declaration as to elections expenses may be made) shall be omitted.

5. After section 87 there shall be inserted-

"Duty of appropriate officer to forward returns and declarations to Electoral Commission.	87A. - (1) Where the appropriate officer receives any return or declaration under section 75, 81 or 82 above in respect of -
	(a) a parliamentary election, or
	(b) an election of the Mayor of London,
	he shall as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving the return or declaration deliver a copy of it, and any accompanying documents, to the Electoral Commission.
	(2) Where the appropriate officer receives any return or declaration under section 75, 81 or 82 in respect of any election other than one mentioned in subsection (1) above, he shall, if so requested by the Electoral Commission, deliver to them a copy of the return and any accompanying documents."

6. For section 89(1) there shall be substituted-

	"(1) Where the appropriate officer receives any return or declaration under section 75, 81 or 82 above he shall-
	(a) as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving the return or declaration make a copy of it, and any accompanying documents, available for public inspection at his office, or some other convenient place chosen by him, for a period of two years beginning with the date when the return is received by him;
	(b) if requested to do so by any person, and on payment of the prescribed fee, supply that person with a copy of the return or declaration and any accompanying documents."

Conveyance of voters to and from the poll

7. Sections 101 to 105 (conveyance of voters to and from the polls) shall be omitted.

Illegal practices, payments, employments and hirings

8. Section 108 (premises not to be used as committee rooms) shall be omitted.

9. - (1) Section 110 shall be amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) for the words from "unless" onwards there shall be substituted "unless the name and address of the printer and publisher appear on the bill, placard, poster or document, as the case may be."

(3) After that subsection there shall be inserted-

	"(1A) In the case of a bill, placard or poster, or a document consisting of (or consisting principally of) a single side of printed matter, any name and address required by subsection (1) above to appear on it must appear on its face.
	(1B) In the case of any other document, any such name and address must appear on the last page of the document."

Election expenses

10. In section 118 (interpretation of Part II), for the definition of "election expenses" there shall be substituted-

""election expenses", in relation to an election, shall be construed in accordance with sections 90A to 90C above;".

Jurisdiction and procedure

11. - (1) The following provisions shall be omitted-

(a) section 78(6);

(b) section 79(3);

(d) section 106(8);

(e) section 122(8);

(f) section 167(4); and

(g) section 174(6).

(2) For section 78(7) there shall be substituted-

"(7) Article 60 of the County Courts (Northern Ireland) Order (appeals from county courts) shall apply in relation to any order of a county court in Northern Ireland made by virtue of subsection (4) above as it applies in relation to any such decree of a county court as is mentioned in paragraph (1) of that Article."

Prepared 21 December 1999