COMMENCEMENT DATES

151.     By virtue of clause 23, the following clauses will enter into force on Royal Assent:

• Clause 1(1) and (3) (compliance with controls imposed by the 2000 Act etc);

• Clause 4 (selection of prospective Electoral Commissioners and Commission chairman);

• Clause 5 (four Electoral Commissioners to be persons put forward by parties);

• Clause 7 (political restrictions on Electoral Commissioners and staff);

• Clause 11 (election expenses incurred for person not yet a candidate);

• Clause 12 (election expenses: guidance by Commission);

• Clause 15 (filling a vacant European Parliament seats in Northern Ireland);

• Clause 18 (interpretation);

• Clause 19 (amendments and repeals) and various provisions in Schedules 4 (minor and consequential amendments) and 5 (repeals) so far as relating to the above clauses;

• Clauses 20 to 24 (various general and supplemental provisions).

152.     All other clauses will come into force on a date to be appointed by the Secretary of State, by an order made by statutory instrument.

153.     Subsection (3) of clause 23 provides the Secretary of State with a power to amend regulations created under powers contained in the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002, in a way that is incidental to or consequential to an order bringing clause 16 into force (local returning officers for elections to the European Parliament).