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

Scottish Statutory Instruments

2020 No. 287

Representation Of The People

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

Made

16th September 2020

Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1(1)

The Scottish Ministers make the following 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 all other powers enabling them to do so.

In accordance with section 7(1) and (2)(e) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(2), the Scottish Ministers have consulted the Electoral Commission.

In accordance with section 201(2) of the 1983 Act(3), a draft of these Regulations has been laid before and approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament.

Citation, commencement and extent

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

(2) These Regulations extend to Scotland only.

Date for publication of revised register for 2020

2.—(1) This regulation applies to the requirement under section 13(1)(a) of the 1983 Act to publish, for 2020, revised versions of the registers maintained by each registration officer for local government areas or parts of local government areas in Scotland under section 9(1)(b) of the 1983 Act(4).

(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 1 February 2021.

GRAEME DEY

Authorised to sign by the Scottish Ministers

St Andrew’s House,

Edinburgh

16th September 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations provide that the date by which revised versions of registers of local government electors in Scotland must be published by registration officers for the year 2020 is 1 February 2021 instead of the existing requirement of 1 December 2020.

The Representation of the People (Electoral Registers Publication Date) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1031) prescribe the date of 1 February 2021 for publication by registration officers of revised registers of United Kingdom parliamentary electors in Scotland for the year 2020.

No business and regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations as no impact upon business, charities or voluntary bodies is foreseen.

(1)

1983 c.2 (“the 1983 Act”). 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(3) was inserted by paragraphs 1 and 21 of schedule 1 of the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c.2), and amended by paragraph 6(1) and 6(7)(d) of schedule 21 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c.41). The functions of the Secretary of State are, insofar as within devolved competence, transferred to the Scottish Ministers by section 9 of the Scotland Act 2016 (c.11) and section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998 (c.46).

(2)

2000 c.41.

(3)

Section 201(2) was substituted by paragraph 69 of schedule 4 of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c.50) and was amended by paragraph 6(1) and 6(7)(b) of schedule 21 of 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.

(4)

Section 9 was substituted by paragraph 3 of schedule 1 of the Representation of the People Act 2000.