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Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill


Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
Part 3 — Advice of Electoral Commission

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 21    Electoral Commission exercise of functions

In carrying out their functions under this Part the Electoral Commission must

have regard (in particular) to—

           (a)           the need to reflect the identities and interests of local communities;

           (b)           the need to secure that the number of electors for an electoral area for

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an assembly is as near as is reasonably practicable to the number of

electors for the other electoral areas (taking account, where

appropriate, of special geographical considerations);

           (c)           guidance given by the Secretary of State.

 22    Payments to Electoral Commission

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     (1)    The Secretary of State may pay to the Electoral Commission such amount as he decides

is the amount required by them to carry out their functions under this Part.

     (2)    A payment under subsection (1) must be treated as income received by the

Commission for the purposes of paragraph 14(1) of Schedule 1 to the Political

Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41).

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Part 4

Funding for regional chambers

 23    Funding for regional chambers

     (1)    The Secretary of State may make a grant to any person in respect of expenditure

incurred in connection with the activities of a regional chamber.

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     (2)    The grant may be made on such terms as the Secretary of State thinks

appropriate.

     (3)    The terms may include provision as to—

           (a)           the circumstances in which the grant is to be repaid to the Secretary of

State, and

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           (b)           the manner in which that is to be done.

     (4)    A regional chamber is a body designated as such for the regional development

agency of a region under section 8 of the Regional Development Agencies Act

1998 (c. 45).

Part 5

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General

 24    Enactment establishing assemblies immaterial

For the purposes of this Act it is immaterial whether any enactment confers

power on the Secretary of State to establish elected assemblies for regions.

 25    Commencement

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     (1)    The preceding provisions of this Act come into force at the end of the period of

two months beginning with the day on which it is passed.

     (2)    Subsection (1) does not apply to—

 

 

Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
Schedule — Amendments

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           (a)           Part 2;

           (b)           Part 4.

 26    Regions

In this Act a region is a region (except London) specified in Schedule 1 to the

Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 (c. 45).

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 27    Orders and regulations

     (1)    A power in this Act to make an order or regulations must be exercised by

statutory instrument.

     (2)    But a statutory instrument must not be made unless a draft of the order or

regulations (as the case may be) has been laid before Parliament and approved

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by a resolution of each House.

     (3)    An order or regulations—

           (a)           may contain such consequential, incidental, supplementary or

transitional provision or savings (including provision amending,

repealing or revoking enactments) as the person making the order or

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regulations thinks appropriate;

           (b)           may make different provision for different purposes.

     (4)    If a draft of an instrument to which subsection (5) applies would apart from

this section be treated for the purposes of the Standing Orders of either House

of Parliament as a hybrid instrument it must proceed in that House as if it were

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not such an instrument.

     (5)    This subsection applies to an instrument made under—

           (a)           Part 1 of this Act;

           (b)           section 15 of this Act;

           (c)           section 129(1) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act

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2000 (c. 41) to the extent that it is made for the purpose of a referendum

held in pursuance of an order under section 1 of this Act.

 28    Expenditure

     (1)    The following amounts are to be paid out of money provided by Parliament

           (a)           any expenditure of a Minister of the Crown in connection with a referendum

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held in pursuance of an order under section 1;

           (b)           any expenditure of the Secretary of State under sections 17, 22 and 23;

           (c)           any expenditure of the Secretary of State in preparation for elected regional

assemblies;

           (d)           any expenditure of the Secretary of State in connection with the transfer of any

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function to such an assembly;

           (e)           any increase attributable to this Act in the sums so payable under any other

enactment.

     (2)    There are to be charged on and paid out of the Consolidated Fund any sums required to

meet the expenditure of the Electoral Commission under section 9.

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Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
Schedule — Amendments

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 29    Short title

This Act may be cited as the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003.

 

 

Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
Schedule — Amendments

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Schedule

Section 15

 

Amendments

Fire Services Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo 6 c. 41)

  1       (1)      The Fire Services Act 1947 is amended as follows.

          (2)      In section 6(2A) (Secretary of State to consider representations on certain

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combination schemes, but not required to cause public local inquiry), in

paragraph (a) after “of that Part)” there is inserted “or an order under section

15 of the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003 containing such

provision”.

          (3)      In section 10 (power to make schemes in advance of alteration of local

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government areas) after “1992” there is inserted “or section 15 of the

Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003”.

Coroners Act 1988 (c. 13)

  2        In section 1(1A)(e) of the Coroners Act 1988 (appointment of coroners) at the

end there is added “or section 15 of the Regional Assemblies (Preparations)

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Act 2003”.

Local Government Finance Act 1988 (c. 41)

  3       (1)      The Local Government Finance Act 1988 is amended as follows.

          (2)      In section 74(2A) (councils subject to levy) at the end there is added “or

section 15 of the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003”.

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          (3)      In section 89(2A) (establishment of collection fund by certain councils) after

“1992” there is inserted “or section 15 of the Regional Assemblies

(Preparations) Act 2003”.

          (4)      In section 91 (general funds)—

              (a)             in subsection (1)(aa) after “1992” there is inserted “or section 15 of the

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Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003”;

              (b)             in subsection (3A) after “1992” there is inserted “or section 15 of the

Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003”.

Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42)

  4        In the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 in section 39(1) (authorities

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subject to Part 4) in paragraph (ib) after “1992” there is inserted “or section

15 of the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003”.

 

 

Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill

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