Draft Regulations laid before Parliament under paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 2 to the European Communities Act 1972 and section 13(5) of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003, for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament.
2017 No. 000
The European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2017
Made
Coming into force
The Minister for the Cabinet Office, being a Minister designated1 for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 19722 in relation to the European Parliament, makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by that section and sections 12(1) and 13(3)(a) and (4) of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 20033.
In accordance with section 12(5) of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003, the Minister for the Cabinet Office has consulted the Electoral Commission about these Regulations.
In accordance with paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 2 to the European Communities Act 1972 and section 13(5) of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003, a draft of these Regulations has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
Citation, commencement and extent1
1
These Regulations may be cited as the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2017.
2
These Regulations come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.
3
These Regulations extend to the whole of the United Kingdom and Gibraltar.
Amendment of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 20022
1
Section 5 of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (filling vacant seats)4 is amended as follows.
2
After subsection (3) insert—
3A
As regards a seat for an electoral region other than Northern Ireland, the regulations may, in specified circumstances, require it to be filled as follows—
a
where the previous MEP stood in the name of a registered party when elected (or most recently elected), or stood on behalf of a registered party when elected (or most recently elected) at a by-election, by a person nominated by the nominating officer of that party;
b
where the previous MEP stood on behalf of two or more registered parties when elected (or most recently elected) at a by-election, by a person jointly nominated by the nominating officers of those parties;
c
where paragraph (a) or (b) does not apply but the previous MEP gave a notice in accordance with regulations under this Act naming one or more persons as substitutes, by a person so named;
d
where the previous MEP was nominated to the seat by the nominating officer of a registered party in accordance with provision made under paragraph (a), by a further person so nominated;
e
where the previous MEP was jointly nominated to the seat by the nominating officers of two or more registered parties in accordance with provision made under paragraph (b), by a further person so nominated.
3B
Regulations containing provision made under subsection (3A) may specify that the provision has effect in relation to any seat that is vacant at the time the provision comes into force and in respect of which a notice of a by-election has not been published at that time.
3
For subsection (5), substitute—
5
In this section—
“nominating officer”, in relation to a registered party, means the person registered in the relevant register as its nominating officer;
“the previous MEP”, in relation to a vacancy in the seat of an MEP, means the person who was the MEP immediately before the vacancy arose;
“registered party” means a party registered under Part 2 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 20005;
“relevant register”, in relation to a registered party, means whichever of the Great Britain register or the Northern Ireland register (in each case within the meaning of that Act) the party is registered in.
Amendment of the European Parliamentary Elections Regulations 20043
In regulation 2 of the European Parliamentary Elections Regulations 20046 (interpretation) omit the defined terms—
a
“nominating officer”;
b
“registered party”.
(This note is not part of the Regulations)