The Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2018

Statutory Instruments

2018 No. 127

Representation Of The People

The Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2018

Made

30th January 2018

Laid before Parliament

5th February 2018

Coming into force

6th March 2018

The Minister for the Cabinet Office, in exercise of the power conferred by section 12(6) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(1), makes the following Order, which gives effect to the recommendations submitted to him by the Electoral Commission for variations to the scheme for the making by the Commission of policy development grants.

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2018 and comes into force on 6th March 2018.

(2) In this Order, “the Scheme” means the policy development grants scheme set out in the Schedule to the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) Order 2006(2).

Amendments to the policy development grants scheme

2.  The amendments to the Scheme set out in the Schedule have effect for the purpose of the making by the Electoral Commission of policy development grants on or after 1st April 2018.

Chloe Smith

Minister for the Constitution

Cabinet Office

30th January 2018

Article 2

SCHEDULE Amendment to the Scheme

1.  The Scheme is amended as follows.

2.  In paragraph 3(2) (eligible parties)–

(a) at the end of paragraph (e), insert “and”; and

(b) omit sub-paragraphs (g) and (h).

3.  Amend paragraph 5 (allocation between eligible parties) as follows–

(a) For paragraph (b) substitute–

“(b) the Democratic Unionist Party, Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party may each receive an amount not exceeding the aggregate of–

(i) the amount determined by dividing £1 million by the number of eligible parties; and

(ii) the amount calculated in accordance with paragraphs 6 and 7 as its notional share for that year.”; and

(b) Omit paragraph (c).

4.  Omit paragraph 9 (determination of Democratic Unionist, Social Democratic and Labour and Ulster Unionist shares).

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Policy Development Grants Scheme 2006 (“the Scheme”) as set out in the Schedule to the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/602).

Under section 12 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c.41) (the “2000 Act”), the Electoral Commission is required to keep under review the terms of the Scheme and is required to make recommendations to the Secretary of State for any variations to the Scheme which they consider appropriate. The changes made by this Order give effect to those recommendations. The Social Democratic and Labour party and Ulster Unionist party are removed from the Scheme because, as a result of the General Election in 2017, they no longer satisfy the eligibility requirement (of having two Members of Parliament who have taken the oath) contained in section 12 of the 2000 Act.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

(1)

2000 c. 41. The powers under section 12 are conferred on “the Secretary of State”, which is defined under section 159A of the Act as meaning the Secretary of State or the Minister for the Cabinet Office. Section 159A of the Act was amended by the Transfer of Functions (Elections, Referendums, Third Sector and Information) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/997), article 3 and Schedule 1, and paragraph 15(b) of Schedule 2.

(2)

S.I. 2006/602 as amended by S.I. 2014/556, S.I. 2015/302, S.I. 2016/164 and S.I. 2017/109.