SCHEDULE 13 Minor and Consequential Amendments

The Representation of the People Act 1983 (c.2)

130

(1)

The Representation of the People Act 1983 shall be amended in accordance with this paragraph.

(2)

In section 8 (registration officers), for subsection (3) substitute—

“(3)

In Scotland, every local authority shall appoint an officer of the authority for their area or for any adjoining area, or an officer appointed by any combination of local authorities, to be registration officer for any constituency or part of a constituency which is situated within their area.”.

(3)

In section 25 (returning officers: Scotland)—

(a)

in subsection (1)—

(i)

for “region or islands”, in both places where it occurs, substitute “ local government ”; and

(ii)

for “regional or islands council” substitute “ local authority for that area ”;

(b)

in subsection (2)—

(i)

for the words from “The council” where they first occur, to “area”, where it first occurs, substitute “ Every local authority ”;

(ii)

for “that region or islands” substitute “ their ”; and

(iii)

for “council”, where it secondly occurs, substitute “ authority ”; and

(c)

subsection (3) shall cease to have effect.

(4)

In section 31(2) (polling districts in Scotland)—

(a)

for “regional or islands”, where it first occurs, substitute “ local authority ”;

(b)

for “regional or islands council” substitute “ local authority ”;

(c)

for “division” substitute “ ward ”; and

(d)

the words from “and for” to “polling district”, where it secondly occurs, shall cease to have effect.

(5)

In section 52(4)(b) (provision of officers of local authority to assist registration officer), for the words from “the” to “area” substitute “ every local authority ”.

(6)

In section 82(4)(b) (declaration as to election expenses), for “regional, islands or district council” substitute “ local authority ”.

(7)

In section 96(3)(b) (meeting rooms for local election meetings), for the words from “the council” to “district” substitute “ a local authority ”.

(8)

In section 204 (general application to Scotland)—

(a)

in the definition of “electoral area”, the words “division or” shall cease to have effect;

(b)

for the definition of “local authority” substitute—

““local authority” means a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994”; and

(c)

for the definition of “local government area” substitute—

““local government area” means the area of a local authority;”.

(9)

In Schedule 5 (use for parliamentary election meetings of rooms in school premises and of meeting rooms), in paragraph 6(b), for “the council of every islands area and district” substitute “ every local authority ”.