The Representation of the People (Variation of Limits of Candidates’ Election Expenses) Order 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order increases the maximum amounts of candidates’ election expenses at parliamentary elections in the United Kingdom (articles 2 to 5), local government elections in Great Britain (article 6) and ward elections (article 7) and elections by liverymen in common hall (article 8) in the City of London.

The increases are such as are justified by the change in the value of money since the last occasion on which those maximum amounts were fixed. The last occasion was 13th March 1994 when the Representation of the People (Variation of Limits of Candidates’ Elections Expenses) Order 1994 was made.

Except in the case of the election by liverymen in common hall, the maximum amount of a candidate’s election expenses is made up of a fixed sum (expressed in pounds) plus a sum expressed in pence (and fractions of pence) for, in the case of parliamentary and local government elections, each entry in the register of electors or, in the case of ward elections in the City of London, each elector. The maximum amount of a candidate’s election expenses at the election by liverymen in common hall is calculated by allowing an amount in pence (and fractions of pence) for every elector on the common hall register to be used at the election.