Representation of the People Act 1983

[F1 40B (1) This rule applies in relation to an election held in England and Wales or Scotland if— E+W+S

(a) regulations provide that this rule applies in relation to the election, or

(b) the election is within a description of elections in relation to which regulations provide that this rule applies.

(2) A presiding officer must—

(a) collect prescribed information relating to applications made under rules 37(1), 38(1), 39(1) and 40(1), and

(b) provide the prescribed information to the returning officer as soon as practicable after the close of the poll.

(3) Where the prescribed information relates to an election held in England and Wales—

(a) the returning officer must forward the information to the relevant registration officer, and

(b) the relevant registration officer must, as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving the information, deal with it as required by paragraph (5).

(4) Where the prescribed information relates to an election held in Scotland, the returning officer must deal with it as required by paragraph (5).

(5) The relevant registration officer or (as the case may be) the returning officer must—

(a) anonymise the prescribed information by removing from it all names and electoral numbers of the people to whom the information relates, and

(b) collate the information in the prescribed manner.

The information as anonymised and collated in accordance with this paragraph is referred to in the rest of this rule as “the paragraph (5) information”.

(6) The relevant registration officer or (as the case may be) the returning officer must provide the paragraph (5) information—

(a) to the Secretary of State, as soon as reasonably practicable after taking the steps required by paragraph (5), and

(b) where they request the information, to the Electoral Commission.

(7) The relevant registration officer or (as the case may be) the returning officer must not disclose the paragraph (5) information otherwise than in accordance with paragraph (6).

(8) The relevant registration officer or (as the case may be) the returning officer must retain the information anonymised in accordance with paragraph (5)(a) for at least 10 years.

(9) For the purposes of paragraph (5)(a), a person’s “electoral number” is the number—

(a) allocated to the person as stated in the copy of the register of electors, or

(b) where an entry relating to the person is added to the register in pursuance of a notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D), as stated in the copy of that notice.

(10) Except as provided by paragraph (11), a disclosure of information under this rule does not breach—

(a) any obligation of confidence owed by the presiding officer, the returning officer or a registration officer, or

(b) any other restriction on the disclosure of information (however imposed).

(11) Nothing in this rule authorises the making of a disclosure that contravenes the data protection legislation (but in determining whether a disclosure would do so, the duties imposed by paragraphs (2) and (3) are to be taken into account).

(12) In this rule—

(a) “the data protection legislation” has the same meaning as in the Data Protection Act 2018 (see section 3(9) of that Act);

(b) references to the relevant registration officer are to—

(i) the registration officer of the local authority in whose area the constituency is situated, or

(ii) if the constituency comprises any part of the area of more than one local authority, the registration officer of the local authority in whose area the greater or greatest (as the case may be) number of electors is registered.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 1 rule 40B and cross-heading inserted (27.8.2022 for specified purposes, 16.1.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), s. 67(1), Sch. 1 para. 24; S.I. 2022/916, reg. 2(d)(x); S.I. 2022/1401, reg. 2(d)(xi)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. 1 rule 40B applied (16.1.2023) by The Voter Identification Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1382), regs. 1(3), 33 (with reg. 1(6)(7))