The Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2015

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend certain regulations in the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/341) which relate to the new system of individual electoral registration.

Regulation 4(a) and (c) amends regulation 26 so that there is no longer a requirement to provide the applicant’s previous name on the application for registration but instead the Electoral Commission is required, when designing the application form, to provide a space for non-mandatory provision of the applicant’s most recent previous name.

Regulation 4(b) amends the requirement for applicants to provide information as to their age on their application for registration to reflect the amendments to the upper age limit for jury service made by section 68 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2).

Regulation 5 amends the reference in regulation 29ZA(1) to the provisions of regulation 26 and 26A. The effect of the amendment is to require the registration officer to disclose the applicant’s most recent previous name, where provided on the application for registration, to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for verification purposes.

Regulation 6 amends regulation 29, which has the effect of amending the provisions in relation to the way in which the registration officer gives confirmation to the applicant when their application has been successful. The confirmation must contain the date on which the applicant’s name will be added to the other register, request the recipient to inform the registration officer if the person is not resident at that address, and inform an applicant previously registered at another address that their entry on that register for that address will be removed.

Regulation 7 inserts a new provision, regulation 31FZA, and makes consequential amendments to regulation 31B(1) and 31C(1). The new provision requires the registration officer to send the subject of the review notice in writing of the outcome of the review and provide information about the appeal process.

Regulation 8 amends regulation 31FA, requiring the registration officer, so far as reasonably practicable, to take steps to notify the subject of the review of the outcome of the review before publication of the revised register where the review takes place during the canvass period.

Regulation 9 amends the requirement for electoral registration officers, if practicable, to print on the annual canvass form an indication as to whether each person registered at the address to which the canvass form is provided is aged 76 or over to reflect the amendments to the upper age limit for jury service made in the Juries Act 1974 (c. 23) by section 68 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2).

Regulation 10 amends regulation 35(2)(b) to authorise electoral registration officers to inspect the records of a registrar of marriages or a superintendent registrar of births, deaths and marriages for the purpose of their registration duties. Registration officers are already permitted to inspect the records of registrars of births and deaths.

Regulation 11 amends regulation 36(2)(b), making changes to the categories of cases when a notice of alteration does not need to be sent to a person affected by its contents.

Regulation 12 makes a consequential amendment to regulation 61B(3)(a) as a consequence of an earlier revocation of regulation 85 of the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/341).

An overall impact assessment in relation to the individual electoral registration scheme is available on the Cabinet Office website at http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/individual-electoral -registration-impact-assessment.