Citation, commencement, extent, saving and interpretation
1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers’ Charges) Order 2024 and comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.
(2) This Order extends to England and Wales and Scotland.
(3) Articles 2 to 5 do not apply to a parliamentary election for which the day of poll is before the day on which this Order comes into force.
(4) In this Order, “day of poll”, in relation to a parliamentary election, means the date of the poll as specified in the notice of the election published in accordance with rule 5 of Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983(1).
Returning officers: maximum recoverable amount for specified services
2.—(1) The maximum recoverable amount in respect of the specified services for each constituency in England, Wales and Scotland is the amount listed in the corresponding entry in the second column of the table in the Schedule.
(2) The specified services are—
(a)making arrangements for the parliamentary election;
(b)discharging the returning officer’s duties at the parliamentary election.
Returning officers: maximum recoverable amount for specified expenses
3.—(1) The maximum recoverable amount in respect of the specified expenses for each constituency in England, Wales and Scotland is the amount listed in the corresponding entry in the third column of the table in the Schedule.
(2) The specified expenses are those incurred in—
(a)the appointment and payment of persons to assist the returning officer;
(b)travel and overnight subsistence for the returning officer and any person appointed to assist the returning officer;
(c)undertaking the nomination process;
(d)printing or otherwise producing the ballot papers;
(e)printing or otherwise producing or purchasing postal vote stationery;
(f)printing or otherwise producing and arranging for the delivery of poll cards;
(g)printing or otherwise producing and, where appropriate, publishing notices and any other documents required by any enactment or instrument for or in connection with the parliamentary election;
(h)renting, heating, lighting, cleaning, adapting or restoring any building or room;
(i)providing and transporting equipment;
(j)providing information and communications technology, equipment and software, and associated costs;
(k)providing security, including secure storage of ballot boxes, ballot papers and verification documents;
(l)conducting the verification and the count;
(m)providing and receiving training;
(n)providing stationery, and meeting postage, telephone, printing, translation and banking costs and the costs of other miscellaneous items;
(o)supplying copies of the register of electors for use in the conduct of the parliamentary election in a constituency in Scotland.
Returning officers: overall maximum recoverable amount
4. The overall maximum recoverable amount for each constituency in England, Wales and Scotland is the amount listed in the corresponding entry in the fourth column of the table in the Schedule.
Overall maximum recoverable amount at an uncontested parliamentary election
5. In respect of an uncontested parliamentary election—
(a)articles 2 to 4 do not apply, and
(b)the overall maximum recoverable amount for each constituency in England, Wales and Scotland is £1,750.
Revocations and savings
6.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the following are revoked—
(a)the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers’ Charges) Order 2019(2);
(b)the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers’ Charges) (Amendment) Order 2019(3).
(2) The Orders revoked by paragraph (1) continue to have effect in respect of any parliamentary election for which the day of poll is before the day on which this Order comes into force.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Simon Hoare
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
23rd May 2024
We consent to this Order
Mike Wood
Joy Morrissey
Two of the Lord Commissioners of His Majesty’s Treasury
23rd May 2024