The Electoral Registration Pilot Scheme (England) Order 2016

Citation, commencement, extent and duration

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Electoral Registration Pilot Scheme (England) Order 2016 and comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

(2) This Order extends to England and Wales.

(3) This Order ceases to have effect on 7th July 2017.

Interpretation

2.  In this Order—

“1983 Act” means the Representation of the People Act 1983(1);

“2001 Regulations” means the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001(2);

“specified area” means the area of a district council specified in the Schedule.

Period of pilot scheme

3.  Articles 4 to 6 have effect in relation to a specified area for the period beginning with the day on which this Order comes into force and ending with 30th June 2017.

Modification of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001

4.  Section 9D(3) of the 1983 Act and regulations 32ZA(1), (4), (5) and (6) and 32ZB of the 2001 Regulations do not apply to the annual canvass required by section 9D(1) of that Act for a specified area.

Annual canvass

5.—(1) A registration officer for a specified area must conduct the annual canvass required by section 9D(1) of the 1983 Act in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) The registration officer must attempt to make contact with a person at each residential address in the specified area at least once during the period beginning with the day on which this Order comes into force and ending with 2nd February 2017.

(3) The registration officer may comply with the requirement in paragraph (2) by any means the registration officer thinks appropriate, including—

(a) by sending a canvass form, which may be in the form designed by the Electoral Commission under regulation 32ZA(2) of the 2001 Regulations;

(b) by visiting the address;

(c) by telephone;

(d) by electronic means.

Specified date for Electoral Commission report on the pilot scheme

6.  The date specified for the purposes of section 9(7)(b) of the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (date by which the Electoral Commission must give report) is 30th June 2017.

John Penrose

Minister for Constitutional Reform

Cabinet Office

12th July 2016