The Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2022

Statutory Instruments

2022 No. 26

Representation Of The People

The Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2022

Made

11th January 2022

Laid before Parliament

17th January 2022

Coming into force

9th February 2022

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the power conferred by section 12(6) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(1), makes the following Order, which gives effect to the recommendations submitted to the Secretary of State by the Electoral Commission for variations to the scheme for the making by the Electoral Commission of policy development grants.

Citation, commencement, extent, and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2022 and comes into force on 9th February 2022.

(2) This Order extends to the United Kingdom.

(3) In this Order “the Scheme” means the policy development grants scheme set out in the Schedule to the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) Order 2006(2).

Amendments to the policy development grants scheme

2.  The amendments to the Scheme set out in the Schedule have effect for the purpose of the making by the Electoral Commission of policy development grants on or after 1st April 2022.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Kemi Badenoch

Minister of State

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

11th January 2022

Article 2

SCHEDULE Amendments to the Scheme

1.  The Scheme is amended as follows.

2.  In paragraph 3(2), before paragraph (a) insert—

“(za) Alba,”.

3.  In paragraph 5—

(a) before sub-paragraph (a) insert—

“(za) Alba and the Scottish National Party may each receive an amount not exceeding the aggregate of—

(i) the amount determined by dividing £1 million by the number of eligible parties; and

(ii) the amount calculated in accordance with paragraphs 6, 7 and 8B;”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (b) for the words “and the Scottish National Party may each” substitute “may”.

4.  After paragraph 8A insert—

“Determination of Alba and Scottish National Party shares

8B.   The Commission is to—

(a) add the notional shares calculated in accordance with paragraph 7 for Alba and the Scottish National Party; and

(b) divide the resultant amount by two.”.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Policy Development Grants Scheme (“the Scheme”) set out in the Schedule to the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/602).

The Scheme enables the making of policy development grants to certain political parties to assist with the development of policies for inclusion in their manifestos for: parliamentary elections, elections to the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd Cymru, and the Northern Ireland Assembly, local government elections, and local elections in Northern Ireland.

Under section 12 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41) the Electoral Commission must keep under review the terms of the Scheme and make recommendations to the Secretary of State for any variations to the Scheme which they consider appropriate. The changes made by this Order give effect to those recommendations and have effect in relation to the making of policy development grants on or after 1st April 2022.

This Order amends the Scheme to add Alba to the list of parties eligible for grants, and makes consequential amendments to the way in which money is allocated to eligible parties under the Scheme.

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.

(2)

S.I. 2006/602, as amended by S.I. 2014/556, 2015/128 and 302, 2016/164, 2017/109, 2018/127, 2020/139, 385 and 926.