Representation of the People Act 1983

51 (1) The returning officer shall return the name of the member elected by endorsing on the writ a certificate in the form in the Appendix. U.K.

(2) Any rule of law or enactment as to the effect of, or manner of dealing with, the return of a member to serve in Parliament applies to the certificate.

(3) The returning officer may, on receiving a receipt, deliver the writ with the certificate endorsed on it to [F1 an official designated for that purpose by a universal postal service provider who is providing a universal postal service (within the meaning of the Postal Services Act 2000) for the area in which the election is being held or to his deputy, provided that the official or deputy is at that time within the area concerned.].

(4) [F2 The designated official] or his deputy shall send the writ so endorsed by the first post, free of charge, under cover to the Clerk of the Crown with the words “Election Writ and Return” endorsed on it.

(5) Any reference in the foregoing provisions of this Part of these rules to the Clerk of the Crown shall be taken, in relation to an election for a constituency in Northern Ireland, as a reference to the Clerk of the Crown for Northern Ireland, but any writ returned to the Clerk of the Crown for Northern Ireland shall be transmitted by him to the Clerk of the Crown in England and the return shall be certified to the House of Commons in the same manner as returns for elections for constituencies in Great Britain.

(6) A copy of each writ returned to the Clerk of the Crown for Northern Ireland and of the certificate endorsed on it shall be attested by the Secretary of State, shall be kept in the office of the Clerk of the Crown for Northern Ireland and may be given in evidence if the originals are lost.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 1 rule 51(3) substituted (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 57(5)(a)

F2 Words in Sch. 1 rule 51(4) substituted (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para 57(5)(b)