Representation of the People Act 1983

13 (1) Provisions [F1 making it an offence (punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale) for a person—] U.K.

(a) [F2 to have] failed to comply with, or given false information in pursuance of, any such requisition of the registration officer as is mentioned in paragraph 1 or paragrapn 2 above.

(b) [F2 to have], without lawful authority, destroyed, mutilated, defaced or removed any notice published by the registration officer in connection with his registration duties, or any copies of a document which have been made available for inspection in pursuance of those duties.

[F3 (1ZZA) References in sub-paragraph (1)(b) to a registration officer’s registration duties include references to—

(a) in the case of a registration officer in Great Britain, the officer’s functions—

(i) under sections 13BD and 13BE, and

(ii) in relation to applications under paragraph 3, 4 or 6 of Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 2000, other than applications in relation to a local government election, or local government elections, in Scotland or Wales;

(b) in the case of the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland, the Chief Electoral Officer’s functions—

(i) under section 13C, and

(ii) in relation to applications under section 6, 7 or 8 of the Representation of the People Act 1985.]

F4 (1ZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F5 (1ZB) Provision making it an offence, in prescribed circumstances, for a person to process information in breach of provision made under paragraph 1A(3)(e) or (f) or 8C.

(1ZC) Provision made under sub-paragraph (1ZB) creating an offence may not—

(a) provide for the offence to be punishable on conviction on indictment by imprisonment for a term exceeding two years;

(b) provide for the offence to be punishable on summary conviction by imprisonment for a term exceeding the relevant maximum;

(c) provide for the offence to be punishable on summary conviction by a fine exceeding the statutory maximum or level 5 on the standard scale (as appropriate).

(1ZD) In sub-paragraph (1ZC)(b) “the relevant maximum”—

(a) in relation to an offence triable either on indictment or summarily, means—

(i) in F6 ... Scotland, 12 months, and

(ii) in Northern Ireland, 6 months [F7 and]

[F8 (iii) in England and Wales, the general limit in a magistrates’ court.]

(b) in relation to an offence triable only summarily, means—

(i) in England and Wales, 51 weeks, and

(ii) in Scotland or Northern Ireland, 6 months.]

[F9 (1A) Provisions making it an offence (punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale)—

(a) for a person to contravene any regulations made in pursuance of paragraph 11 above or to do so in any prescribed circumstances, or

(b) where such a contravention has occurred on the part of a person in the employment, or otherwise under the direction or control, of a company or other organisation, for—

(i) a director of the company, or

(ii) a person concerned with the management of the organisation,

to have failed to take such steps as it was reasonable for him to take to secure the operation of procedures designed to prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, the occurrence of such contraventions on the part of such persons.]

(2) Any other provisions incidental or supplemental to those mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs of this Schedule.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 2 para 13 substituted (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and otherwise 16.2.2001) by 2000 c. 2, s. 15, Sch. 6 para. 11(4); S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2), (with art. 2(3)-(5))

F2 Words in Sch. 2 para. 13(1) substituted (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and otherwise 16.2.2001) by 2000 c. 2, s. 15, Sch. 6 para. 11(4)(b); S.I. 2000/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(3)(4))

F3 Sch. 2 para. 13(1ZZA) inserted (27.8.2022) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), s. 67(1), Sch. 2 para. 11; S.I. 2022/916, art. 2(e)

F4 Sch. 2 para. 13(1ZA) omitted (13.3.2014) by virtue of Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 (c. 13), ss. 20(2)(e), 28(1)(e)

F5 Sch. 2 para. 13(1ZB)-(1ZD) inserted (5.2.2013) by Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6), s. 27(1), Sch. 2 para. 4 (with s. 13(3)(4), Sch. 5); S.I. 2013/219, art. 2(c)(d)

F6 Words in Sch. 2 para. 13(1ZD)(a)(i) omitted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by virtue of The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 5(2)

F7 Word in Sch. 2 para. 13(1ZD)(a)(ii) substituted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 5(3)

F8 Sch. 2 para. 13(1ZD)(a)(iii) inserted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 5(4)

F9 Sch. 2 para. 13(1A) inserted (16.2.2001) by 2000 c. 2, s. 9(3); S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(3)(4))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. 2 para. 13 extended (N.I.) (with modifications) by Elected Authorities (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 (c. 3, SIF 42), ss. 2, 13(6), Sch. 1 Pt. I, (as amended (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and otherwise 16.2.2001) by 2000 c. 2, s. 8, Sch. 3 para. 3(6); S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4)))