1.—(1) This Scheme may be cited as the Policy Development Grants Scheme 2006.
(2) In this Scheme—
“the Act” means the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000;
“election” does not include an election to fill a casual vacancy;
“eligible party”, in relation to a year, means a party which is eligible for a grant in respect of that year by virtue of paragraph 3 below;
“English voters”, in relation to a Westminster election or a European election, means the number of persons who voted in England at that election;
“European election” means an election of members of the European Parliament;
“grant” means a policy development grant within the meaning of section 12 (policy development grants) of the Act;
“Northern Ireland election” means an election of members of the Northern Ireland Assembly;
“Northern Ireland voters”, in relation to a Westminster election, a European election or a Northern Ireland election, means the number of persons who voted in Northern Ireland at that election;
“Scottish election” means an election of members of the Scottish Parliament;
“Scottish voters”, in relation to a Westminster election, a European election or a Scottish election, means the number of persons who voted in Scotland at that election;
“UK electorate”—
in respect of the year ending on 31st March 2007, means 44,403,415;
in respect of any later year, means such number published by the Commission not later than 7th March preceding the beginning of the year in question as is calculated by the Commission to be equal to the total number of persons whose names appeared on an electoral register in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales on 1st December preceding that 7th March;
“Welsh election” means an election of members of the National Assembly for Wales;
“Welsh voters”, in relation to a Westminster election, a European election or a Welsh election, means the number of persons who voted in Wales at that election;
“Westminster election” means a parliamentary election other than a Scottish election; and
“year” means a period of twelve months ending on 31st March.
(3) Other terms used both in this Scheme and in the Act have the same meaning in this Scheme as they have in the Act.
(4) Any reference in this Scheme to a percentage is a reference to a percentage corrected to two decimal places.