The Representation of the People (Electoral Registers Publication Date) Regulations 2020

Statutory Instruments

2020 No. 1032

Representation Of The People

The Representation of the People (Electoral Registers Publication Date) Regulations 2020

Made

23rd September 2020

Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1(1)

The Minister for the Cabinet Office makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 13(1)(a) and 201(1) and (3) of the Representation of the People Act 1983(1), and now vested in the Minister(2).

The Minister for the Cabinet Office has consulted the Electoral Commission in accordance with section 7(1) and (2)(e) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(3).

In accordance with section 201(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1983(4), a draft of these Regulations has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Representation of the People (Electoral Registers Publication Date) Regulations 2020 and come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.

(2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales and Scotland.

Date for publication of revised registers for 2020

2.—(1) This regulation applies to the requirement under section 13(1)(a) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (“the 1983 Act”) for registration officers to publish, for 2020, revised versions of—

(a) the registers maintained in respect of areas in England under section 9(1)(a) and (b) of the 1983 Act(5);

(b) the registers maintained in respect of areas in Wales or Scotland under section 9(1)(a) of that Act.

(2) The date for the end of the period described in section 13(1)(a) of the 1983 Act, being the period during which the revised registers must be published, is 1st February 2021.

Chloe Smith

Minister for the Constitution and Devolution

Cabinet Office

23rd September 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations set a revised date for the end of the period during which revised versions of certain electoral registers for 2020 must be published in accordance with section 13(1)(a) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2) (“the 1983 Act”).

Regulation 2(1) provides that the regulation applies to the publishing by a registration officer (see section 8 of the 1983 Act) for an area in England of the revised register of parliamentary electors and the revised register of local government electors maintained by that officer under section 9(1)(a) and (b) of the 1983 Act respectively. It also applies to the publishing by a registration officer for an area in Wales or Scotland of the revised register of parliamentary electors maintained by that officer under section 9(1)(a) of the 1983 Act.

Regulation 2(2) sets the date by which the relevant registers must be published as 1st February 2021.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

(1)

1983 c. 2. Section 13(1) was substituted by the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33). See section 202(1) for the meaning of “prescribed”. Section 201(1) was amended by paragraph 6(1) and (7)(a) of Schedule 21 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41). Section 201(3) was inserted by paragraphs 1 and 21 of Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c. 2), and amended by paragraph 6(1) and (7)(d) of Schedule 21 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

(2)

The Secretary of State’s functions under sections 13 and 201 were exercisable concurrently with the Lord President of the Council by virtue of S.I. 2010/1837. By virtue of S.I. 2015/1376, the Secretary of State’s functions which were exercisable concurrently with the Lord President ceased to be so exercisable and were instead exercisable concurrently with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. By virtue of S.I. 2016/997, the Secretary of State’s functions which were exercisable concurrently with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster ceased to be so exercisable and are instead exercisable concurrently with the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

(3)

2000 c. 41.

(4)

Section 201(2) was substituted by paragraph 69 of Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), and was amended by paragraph 6(1) and (7)(b) of Schedule 21 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, by section 13(2) of the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 (c. 13), and by S.I. 1991/1728.

(5)

Section 9 was substituted by paragraphs 1 and 3 of Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 2000.