Part I The Electoral Commission
Commission’s general functions
I1C110 Giving of advice and assistance.
1
The Commission may, at the request of any relevant body, provide the body with advice and assistance as respects any matter in which the Commission have skill and experience.
2
The assistance which may be so provided includes (in particular) the secondment of members of the Commission’s staff.
3
The Commission may also—
a
provide advice and assistance to—
i
registration officers,
ii
returning officers at relevant elections,
iii
registered parties,
iv
recognised third parties within the meaning of Part VI, F3...
v
permitted participants within the meaning of Part VII;
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petition officers in relation to recall petitions, and
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accredited campaigners within the meaning of Schedule 3 to the Recall of MPs Act 2015 (see Part 5 of that Schedule);
b
provide advice and assistance to other persons which is incidental to, or otherwise connected with, the discharge by the Commission of their functions.
4
The Commission—
a
may make charges for advice or assistance provided by them under subsection (1); but
b
may not make charges for advice and assistance provided under subsection (3).
5
Nothing in this section authorises the Commission to provide any form of financial assistance.
6
In this section “relevant body” means—
a
the Scottish Parliament;
b
the Scottish Executive;
c
the National Assembly for Wales;
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the Welsh Ministers;
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the National Assembly for Wales Commission;
d
the Northern Ireland Assembly;
e
the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly;
f
any of the following local authorities—
i
in England, the council of a county, district or London borough,
ii
in Wales, the council of a county or county borough, and
iii
in Scotland, a council constituted under section 2 of the M1Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994;
g
a national or regional parliament or government in a country other than the United Kingdom;
h
a body in any such other country having functions corresponding to any of the functions of the Commission;
i
an organisation of which two or more countries (or their governments) are members or a subordinate body of such an organisation.
7
In this section “relevant election” means any election falling within section 22(5) F5....
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