Representation of the People Act 1983

118 Interpretation of Part II

In this Part of this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

• " appropriate officer" has the meaning given by section 67(7) above;

• "candidate"—

  (a)

  in relation to a parliamentary election, means a person who is elected to serve in Parliament at the election or a person who is nominated as a candidate at the election, or is declared by himself or by others to be a candidate on or after the day of the issue of the writ for the election, or after the dissolution or vacancy in consequence of which the writ was issued;

  (b)

  in relation to an election under the local government Act, means a person elected or having been nominated or having declared himself a candidate for election, to the office to be filled at the election;

• " committee room " does not include any house or room occupied by a candidate as a dwelling, by reason only of the candidate transacting business there with his agents in relation to the election, and no room or building shall be deemed to be a committee room by reason only of the candidate or any agent of the candidate addressing in it electors, committee members or others;

• " date of the allowance of an authorised excuse " has the meaning given by section 86(8) above, or paragraph 7 of Schedule 4 to this Act, as the case may be;

• " declaration as to election expenses " means a declaration made under section 82 above, or, as the case may be, paragraph 3 of Schedule 4 to this Act;

• " disputed claim " has the meaning given by section 79(1) above as extended by section 80 above;

• " election expenses" in relation to an election means expenses incurred, whether before, during or after the election, on account of or in respect of the conduct or management of the election;

• " money " and " pecuniary reward " shall (except in sections 113 and 114 above) be deemed to include—

  (a)

  any office, place or employment, and

  (b)

  any valuable security or other equivalent of money, and

  (c)

  any valuable consideration, and expressions referring to money shall be construed accordingly;

• " payment" includes any pecuniary or other reward;

• " personal expenses " as used with respect to the expenditure of any candidate in relation to any election includes the reasonable travelling expenses of the candidate, and the reasonable expenses of his living at hotels or elsewhere for the purposes of and in relation to the election;

• " return as to election expenses " means a return (including the bills and receipts to be transmitted with it) to be made under section 81(1) above, or, as the case may be, paragraph 3 of Schedule 4 to this Act.