Representation of the People Act 1983

24 Returning officers: England and Wales. U.K.

(1) In England and Wales, the returning officer for a parliamentary election is—

(a) in the case of a county constituency [F1 in England] which is coterminous with or wholly contained in a county, the sheriff of the county;

[F2 (aa) in the case of a county constituency in Wales which is coterminous with or wholly contained in a preserved county as defined by section 64 of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, the sheriff of the county;]

(b) in the case of a borough constituency [F1 in England] which is coterminous with or wholly contained in a district, the chairman of the district council;

[F2 (bb) in the case of a borough constituency in Wales which is coterminous with or wholly contained in a county or county borough, the chairman of the county or county borough council;]

(c) in the case of any other constituency [F1 in England] wholly outside Greater London,such sheriff or chairman of a district council as may be designated in an order by the Secretary of State made by statutory instrument;

[F2 (cc) in the case of any other constituency in Wales, such sheriff or chairman of a county or county borough council as may be designated in an order by the Secretary of State so made;]

(d) in the case of a constituency which is coterminous with or wholly contained in a London borough, the mayor of the borough;

[F3 (dd) where a council of a London borough are operating executive arrangements which involve a mayor and cabinet executive [F4 or a mayor and council manager executive] , paragraph (d) shall have effect as if for the words “the mayor” there were substituted “the chairman”]

(e) in the case of a constituency wholly or partly in Greater London which is situated partly in one London borough and partly in a district or any other London borough, the mayor [F5 or the chairman] of such London borough or the chairman of such district council as may be designated in an order by the Secretary of State made by statutory instrument.

The City, the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple shall be treated for the purposes of this section as if together they formed a London borough.

[F6 (1A) In subsection (1), “executive arrangements”, “mayor and cabinet executive” and “mayor and council manager executive” have the same meaning as in Part II of the Local Government Act 2000.]

(2) A parliamentary election is not liable to be questioned by reason of a defect in the title, or want of title, of the person presiding at or conducting the election, if that person was then in actual possession of, or acting in, the office giving the right to preside at or conduct the election.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 24(1)(a)-(c) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(6), Sch. 16 para. 68(3) (with ss. 54(4)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 4, Sch. 2

F2 S. 24(1)(aa)(bb)(cc) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(6), Sch. 16 para. 68(3) (with ss. 54(4)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 4, Sch. 2

F3 S. 24(1)(dd) inserted (E.) (6.5.2002) by The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Modification of Enactments) (England) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/1057), art. 9(1)(a)

F4 Words in s. 24(1)(dd) omitted (E.W.) (30.12.2008) by virtue of Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 74, 245, Sch. 3 para. 17 and repealed (E.W.) (prosp.) by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 241, Sch. 18 Pt. 3

F5 Words in s. 24(1)(e) inserted (E.) (6.5.2002) by The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Modification of Enactments) (England) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/1057), art. 9(1)(b)

F6 S. 24(1A) inserted (E.) (6.5.2002) by The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Modification of Enactments) (England) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/1057), art. 9(2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 24(1)(c)(cc)(e) amended (16.2.2001) by 2000 c. 41, s. 7(2)(c) (with s. 156(6)); S.I. 2001/222, art. 2, Sch. 1 Pt. I (subject to transitional provisions in Sch. 1 Pt. II)

C2 S. 24(2) applied (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1986/2209, regs. 2, 3, 5(1)(6)–(8), Sch. 1 Pt. I