Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/1/enacted
Timestamp: 2015-01-28 20:48:35
Document Index: 517528295

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'ART 2', 'ART 3', 'art 1', 'art 7']

Skip to main contentSkip to navigationlegislation.gov.ukThe National ArchivesHelpSite MapAccessibilityContact UsCymraegHomeAbout UsBrowse LegislationNew LegislationChanges To LegislationSearch LegislationSearch LegislationTitle: (or keywords in the title)Year:Number:Type:All Legislation (excluding draft)All Primary Legislation UK Public General Acts UK Local Acts Acts of the Scottish Parliament Acts of the National Assembly for Wales Measures of the National Assembly for Wales Church Measures Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly Acts of the Old Scottish Parliament Acts of the English Parliament Acts of the Old Irish Parliament Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain Northern Ireland Orders in Council Measures of the Northern Ireland Assembly Acts of the Northern Ireland ParliamentAll Secondary Legislation UK Statutory Instruments Wales Statutory Instruments Scottish Statutory Instruments Northern Ireland Statutory Rules Church Instruments UK Ministerial Orders UK Statutory Rules and OrdersAll Draft Legislation UK Draft Statutory Instruments Scottish Draft Statutory Instruments Northern Ireland Draft Statutory RulesAll Impact Assessments UK Impact AssessmentsSearchAdvanced SearchParliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011You are here:2011 c. 1Whole ActTable of ContentsContentExplanatory NotesMore ResourcesPreviousNextPlain ViewPrint OptionsWhat VersionLatest available (Revised)Original (As enacted)Advanced FeaturesShow Explanatory Notes for Sections Opening OptionsOpen whole ActOpen Act without schedulesOpen Schedules onlyMore ResourcesOriginal Print PDFCorrection Slip - 06/05/2011View moreStatus:This is the original version (as it was originally enacted).Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 20112011 CHAPTER 1An Act to make provision for a referendum on the voting system for parliamentary elections and to provide for parliamentary elections to be held under the alternative vote system if a majority of those voting in the referendum are in favour of that; to make provision about the number and size of parliamentary constituencies; and for connected purposes. [16th February 2011]Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
PART 1Voting system for parliamentary electionsThe referendum1Referendum on the alternative vote system(1)A referendum is to be held on the voting system for parliamentary elections.
2Entitlement to vote in the referendum(1)Those entitled to vote in the referendum are—
3Conduct of the referendum(1)The referendum is to be conducted in accordance with the rules set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2.
4Combination of polls(1)Where the date of the poll for one or more of the following is the same as the date of the poll for the referendum, the polls are to be taken together—
5Press comment etc not subject to spending controlsExpenses incurred in respect of the publication of any matter relating to the referendum, other than an advertisement, in—
6Control of loans etc to permitted participants(1)The 2000 Act has effect in relation to the referendum as if the Schedule set out in Schedule 9 to this Act were inserted in that Act as Schedule 15A.
7Interpretation(1)In this Part—
Result of the referendum8Commencement or repeal of amending provisions(1)The Minister must make an order bringing into force section 9, Schedule 10 and Part 1 of Schedule 12 (“the alternative vote provisions”) if—
9The alternative vote system: amendments(1)In Schedule 1 to the 1983 Act (parliamentary elections rules), after rule 37 there is inserted—
“How votes are to be given37A(1)A voter votes by marking the ballot paper with—
“How votes are to be counted45A(1)This rule sets out how votes are to be counted, in one or more stages of counting, in order to give effect to the preferences marked by voters on their ballot papers and so to determine which candidate is elected.
Information to be given by returning officer after each stage of counting45B(1)If no candidate is elected (as mentioned in rule 45A(2)) at the first stage of counting, the returning officer shall, immediately after that stage, record and make publicly available the following information—
PART 2Parliamentary constituencies10Boundary Commissions: reports etc(1)In the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (“the 1986 Act”) section 3 (reports of the Boundary Commissions) is amended as set out in subsections (2) to (7).
11Number and distribution of seats(1)For Schedule 2 to the 1986 Act there is substituted—
Section 3“SCHEDULE 2Rules for distribution of seatsNumber of constituencies1The number of constituencies in the United Kingdom shall be 600.
Electorate per constituency2(1)The electorate of any constituency shall be—
Allocation of constituencies to parts of the United Kingdom3(1)Each constituency shall be wholly in one of the four parts of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland).
Area of constituencies4(1)A constituency shall not have an area of more than 13,000 square kilometres.
Factors5(1)A Boundary Commission may take into account, if and to such extent as they think fit—
Protected constituencies6(1)There shall be two constituencies in the Isle of Wight.
Northern Ireland7(1)In relation to Northern Ireland, sub-paragraph (2) below applies in place of rule 2 where—
The allocation method8(1)The allocation method referred to in rule 3(2) is as follows.
Interpretation9(1)This rule has effect for the purposes of this Schedule.
12Boundary Commission proposals: publicity and consultation(1)For section 5 of the 1986 Act (notices) there is substituted—
13National Assembly for Wales(1)In section 2 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (Assembly constituencies and electoral regions), for subsection (1) there is substituted—
14Review of reduction in number of constituencies(1)The Minister must make arrangements—
PART 3Miscellaneous and general15OrdersA power under this Act to make an order is exercisable by statutory instrument.
16RepealsSchedule 12 (repeals) has effect.
17Financial provisions(1)There is to be paid out of money provided by Parliament any increase attributable to this Act in the sums payable under any other Act out of money so provided.
18ExtentThis Act extends to the whole of the United Kingdom, except that—
19Commencement(1)Section 9, Schedule 10 and Part 1 of Schedule 12 come into force in accordance with provision made by an order under section 8(1).
20Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011.
SCHEDULESSection 1SCHEDULE 1Further provisions about the referendumReferendum period1For the purposes of Part 7 of the 2000 Act the referendum period for the referendum—
(a)begins with the day on which this Act is passed, and
Counting officers2(1)The counting officer for a voting area that is—
(2)The counting officer for the City of London voting area is the person who, by virtue of that section, is the returning officer for elections of councillors of the London borough of Westminster.
(3)The counting officer for the Isles of Scilly voting area is the person who, by virtue of that section, is the returning officer for elections to the Council of the Isles of Scilly.
(4)The counting officer for a voting area in Wales is the person who, by virtue of provision made under section 13(1)(a) of the Government of Wales Act 2006, is the returning officer for elections of members of the National Assembly for Wales for the constituency that forms the voting area.
(5)The counting officer for a voting area in Scotland is the person who, by virtue of provision made under section 12(1)(a) of the Scotland Act 1998, is the returning officer for elections of members of the Scottish Parliament for the constituency that forms the voting area.
(6)The counting officer for the Northern Ireland voting area is the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland.
Regional Counting Officers3(1)The Chief Counting Officer may appoint a Regional Counting Officer for any region in Great Britain.
(2)For the purposes of this paragraph the regions are—
Assistance to counting officers etc4(1)A local authority whose area forms, or forms part of, a particular voting area must place the services of their officers at the disposal of—
(d)in the case of a voting area in Wales, means the council of a county or county borough;
(e)in the case of a voting area in Scotland, means the council of a local government area.
General duties of counting officers etc5(1)The Chief Counting Officer, Regional Counting Officers and counting officers must do whatever things are necessary for conducting the referendum in the manner provided by this Part.
(d)the verification of the statements made under rule 38(6) of the referendum rules (ballot paper accounts), and
(e)the counting of the votes cast.
(4)In the case of a region for which a Regional Counting Officer is appointed, the officer must certify as regards the votes cast in the region—
(9)This paragraph applies in addition to section 128 of the 2000 Act (Chief Counting Officers, and counting officers, for referendums).
Appointment of deputies and clerks6(1)The Chief Counting Officer or a Regional Counting Officer or counting officer may appoint deputies to carry out any or all of the officer’s functions.
Counting officers etc: correction of procedural errors7(1)A Regional Counting Officer or counting officer may take whatever steps the officer thinks appropriate to remedy any act or omission on the part of the officer or a relevant person that—
(b)is not in accordance with the referendum rules or any other requirements applicable to the referendum.
(2)But a counting officer may not under this paragraph conduct a re-count of the votes once a direction has been given under rule 43(3)(b) of the referendum rules.
(b)a presiding officer appointed under rule 14 of the referendum rules;
(d)a deputy or assistant of—
(ii)a person mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c).
(4)For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3)(d) a person (“A”) is an assistant of another person (“P”) if—
Public notices8A public notice required by this Part to be given by the Chief Counting Officer, a Regional Officer or a counting officer must be given—
Role of Electoral Commission9(1)The Electoral Commission must take whatever steps they think appropriate to promote public awareness about the referendum and how to vote in it.
(2)The Electoral Commission may take whatever steps they think appropriate to provide, for persons entitled to vote in the referendum, information about each of the two voting systems referred to in the referendum question.
(3)Following the referendum, the Electoral Commission must—
(a)publish the most accurate estimate that it is reasonably possible to make of the turnout in each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland;
(b)include that information in any report they submit under section 6(1)(b) of the 2000 Act to do with the referendum.
(4)In sub-paragraph (3) “turnout” means the percentage of those entitled to vote in the referendum who did so.
A ballot paper recorded under head (b), (c) or (d) of rule 42(4) of the referendum rules is to be treated as a vote for this purpose.
Encouraging participation10(1)The Chief Counting Officer must take whatever steps the officer thinks appropriate to encourage participation in the referendum.
Referendum agents11A permitted participant may, for any voting area, appoint an individual (who may be the responsible person) to act as the permitted participant’s agent (“referendum agent”).
12(1)This paragraph applies if a permitted participant appoints a referendum agent for a voting area.
(2)The responsible person must give the counting officer for the area notification of the name and home or business address of—
(3)The notification must be given before noon on the 16th day before the date of the poll, disregarding for this purpose—
(4)The notification must be in writing and signed by the responsible person.
(5)The duties imposed on a responsible person by this paragraph may be discharged by any person authorised in writing by the responsible person.
13(1)This paragraph applies if a counting officer is notified under paragraph 12 that a permitted participant has appointed a referendum agent.
(2)The counting officer must as soon as practicable give public notice of—
(b)the referendum agent has notified the counting officer of the appointment of a polling or counting agent under rule 18 of the referendum rules.
(2)The permitted participant must as soon as possible appoint another agent under paragraph 11.
(3)The notification under paragraph 12 must be made as soon as possible after the appointment of the new referendum agent (rather than before noon on the 16th day before the date of the poll).
Responsible persons15(1)A person who is the responsible person for a permitted participant may not give a notification under section 106(3) of the 2000 Act (notification given to become a permitted participant).
(3)A declaration made or notification given by a body does not comply with the requirement in subsection (2)(b) or (4)(b)(ii) of section 106 of the 2000 Act (to state the name of the person who will be responsible for compliance) if the person whose name is stated—
(b)is an individual who gives a notification under subsection (3) of that section at the same time, or