Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

55 Payments etc. which are (or are not) to be treated as donations by permissible donors. U.K.

(1) The following provisions have effect for the purposes of this Part.

(2) Any payment out of public funds received by a registered party shall (subject to section 52(1)(a) and (b)) be regarded as a donation received by the party from a permissible donor.

(3) Any donation received by a registered party shall (if it would not otherwise fall to be so regarded) be regarded as a donation received by the party from a permissible donor if and to the extent that—

(a) the purpose of the donation is to meet qualifying costs incurred or to be incurred in connection with a visit by any member or officer of the party to a country or territory outside the United Kingdom, and

(b) the amount of the donation does not exceed a reasonable amount in respect of such costs.

(4) In subsection (3) “qualifying costs”, in relation to any member or officer of the party, means costs relating to that person in respect of—

(a) travelling between the United Kingdom and the country or territory in question, or

(b) travelling, accommodation or subsistence while within that country or territory.

(5) Any exempt trust donation received by a registered party shall be regarded as a donation received by the party from a permissible donor.

[F1 (5A) Any exempt Gibraltar trust donation received by a registered party shall be regarded as a donation received by the party from a permissible donor if—

(a) at the time the donation is received by the party, its entry in the register includes a statement that it intends to contest one or more elections to the European Parliament in the combined region; and

(b) in the case of a party other than a Gibraltar party, the donation is received by the party within the period of four months ending with the date of the poll for an election to the European Parliament in the combined region.]

(6) But any donation received by a registered party from a trustee of any property (in his capacity as such) which is not—

(a) an exempt trust donation, or

[F2 (aa) an exempt Gibraltar trust donation regarded by virtue of subsection (5A) as received from a permissible donor, or.]

(b) a donation transmitted by the trustee to the party on behalf of beneficiaries under the trust who are—

(i) persons who at the time of its receipt by the party are permissible donors, or

(ii) the members of an unincorporated association which at that time is a permissible donor,

shall be regarded as a donation received by the party from a person who is not a permissible donor.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 55(5A) inserted (5.2.2004) by The European Parliamentary Elections (Combined Region and Campaign Expenditure) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/366), arts. 1(2), 4(2), Sch. para. 13(a)

F2 S. 55(6)(aa) inserted (5.2.2004) by The European Parliamentary Elections (Combined Region and Campaign Expenditure) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/366), arts. 1(2), 4(2), Sch. para. 13(b)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 55 wholly in force at 16.2.2001; s. 55 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 163(2); s. 55 in force at 16.2.2001 by S.I. 2001/222, art. 2, Sch. 1 Pt. I (with Sch. 1 Pt. II para. 2)