The Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2014

Statutory Instruments

2014 No. 556

Representation Of The People

The Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2014

Made

6th March 2014

Laid before Parliament

11th March 2014

Coming into force

1st April 2014

The Lord President of the Council, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 12 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(1), makes the following Order, which gives effect to recommendations submitted to him by the Electoral Commission for variations to the scheme for the making by the Commission of policy development grants:

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2014 and comes into force on 1st April 2014.

Amendments to the scheme

2.  The amendments to the Policy Development Grants Scheme 2006(2) set out in the Schedule shall have effect for the purpose of the making by the Commission of policy development grants on or after 1st April 2014.

Signed by the authority of the Lord President of the Council

Greg Clark

Minister of State

Cabinet Office

6th March 2014

Article 2

SCHEDULE Amendments to the Policy Developments Grants Scheme

1.  In paragraph 1(2) of the Schedule to the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) Order 2006, in the definition of “UK electorate”, for paragraph (a) substitute–

“(a) in respect of the year ending on 31st March 2015, means such number published by the Commission not later than 2nd May 2014 as is calculated by the Commission to be equal to the total number of persons whose names appeared on an electoral register—

(i) in England on 17th February 2014,

(ii) in Northern Ireland on 1st December 2013,

(iii) in Scotland on 10th March 2014, or

(iv) in Wales on 10th March 2014;”

2.  In paragraph 6(2), for paragraph (a) substitute–

“(a) in relation to the year ending on 31st March 2015, means—

(i) for England, such number published by the Commission not later than 2nd May 2014 as is calculated by the Commission to be equal to the total number of persons whose names appeared on an electoral register in England on 17th February 2014,

(ii) for Northern Ireland, such number published by the Commission not later than 2nd May 2014 as is calculated by the Commission to be equal to the total number of persons whose names appeared on an electoral register in Northern Ireland on 1st December 2013,

(iii) for Scotland, such number published by the Commission not later than 2nd May 2014 as is calculated by the Commission to be equal to the total number of persons whose names appeared on an electoral register in Scotland on 10th March 2014,

(iv) for Wales, such number published by the Commission not later than 2nd May 2014 as is calculated by the Commission to be equal to the total number of persons whose names appeared on an electoral register in Wales on 10th March 2014;”

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Policy Development Grants Scheme 2006, set out in the Schedule to the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) Order 2006, to make provision for the year running from 1st April 2014 to 31st March 2015.

As a consequence of the introduction of individual electoral registration, the annual canvass in Great Britain, which would normally have concluded with the publication of revised electoral registers by 1st December 2013, was postponed (by the Electoral Registration (Postponement of 2013 Annual Canvass) Order 2013, S.I. 2013/794). The figures for the number of people on the register on 1st December 2013 would, but for this Order, be used to determine the appropriate allocations of policy development grants. As revised registers were not published by that date (except for in Northern Ireland), the Order substitutes the numbers of electors on the register on the relevant date of publication of the revised registers.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

(1)

2000 c.41. In accordance with section 159A of the 2000 Act, inserted by S.I. 2002/2626 and amended by the Lord President of the Council Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1837), the power conferred on the Secretary of State by section 12 is exercisable concurrently by the Lord President of the Council and the Secretary of State.

(2)

See paragraph 1(1) of the Schedule to the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/602).