Representation of the People (England and Wales) and the Representation of the People (Combination of Polls) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2007

rose to move, That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Representation of the People (England and Wales) and the Representation of the People (Combination of Polls) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2007. The noble Lord said: With these regulations we are also debating the draft Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 In those regulations, I wish to ensure that Committee Members have before them the most recent draft, as there was a small but crucial drafting error in the previous version. The election timetable for mayoral elections will be governed by the regulations. Where polling day is 3 May 2007, that timetable would commence with a notice of election on 27 March. As there are authorities with mayoral elections this year, it is crucial that the regulations are in effect on 27 March. The earlier, incorrect draft of the regulations excluded from their effect elections that commenced on or before 27 March. That would therefore have excluded the very elections that we are especially seeking to capture, that is, those where polling day is 3 May. Accordingly, the most recent, correct draft of the regulations should exclude from their effect at Regulation 1(2) only elections where the last date for notice of election is on or before 26 March. Despite having been read through by several individuals, that apparent typographical error in the draft was not spotted until after the instrument had been laid and scrutinised by the JCSI. As the significance is, by contrast, large, we have had to withdraw and re-lay the draft with the corrected date, rather than use a correction slip. Given the shortness of time remaining, I am extremely grateful for the assistance provided by the House authorities and the agreement of the chairman of the JCSI that the Committee debate on the re-laid draft can take place before the JCSI re-consideration. Of course, any subsequent Motion for approval on the Floor of the House will take place only after that JCSI reconsideration. The purpose of the Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 is to implement the changes made for parliamentary elections by the Electoral Administration Act 2006, so ensuring consistency of electoral practice between the conduct of elections for local councillors and those for local authority mayors held on or after 3 May this year. These include changes to nomination procedures—candidates may use their common names on nomination forms and papers. The rules on the use of authorised descriptions by candidates standing on behalf of registered political parties are amended to reflect amendments made to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. Returning officers will be able to correct minor errors on nomination papers. New security measures introduced by the 2006 Act are also provided for in this context and separate security markings and unique identifying marks are required for ballot papers. Ballot paper counterfoils are replaced by corresponding number lists, and postal voters and proxy postal voters are required to provide both their signature and date of birth when returning postal ballot papers. Alterations are made to the circumstances in which a person may be given a tendered vote. New requirements are introduced as to the information and accessibility of information to be provided by returning officers to electors. Changes are made as to the persons who may be admitted to polling stations and the count to observe elections. Amendments are made to provide for the transmission of information to a presiding officer of alterations to the electoral register taking effect on the day of the poll. Amendments are also made to facilitate the introduction of a scheme for the anonymous registration of certain electors, which is due to come into force on 1 June 2007. Changes are made to the arrangements for the retention and inspection of election documents after the poll. A full set of forms is appended to the rules reflecting the changes made to implement the 2006 Act. These regulations also increase the election expenses limit for candidates at mayoral elections. The limit is now calculated by taking £2,362 as a base figure and adding 5.9 pence for every entry on the register of electors. This was to allow for inflation and the change was made on the recommendation of the Electoral Commission. The 2002 limit was based on a base figure of £2,000 plus an additional 5 pence for every entry on the register. When approved, these regulations will replace the Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2002 that currently apply to the elections of local mayors. The detailed rules for the conduct of mayoral elections are based on the rules contained in the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (England and Wales) Rules 2006. Throughout May 2006, advisory groups consisting of key interested groups with practical and in-depth knowledge of running elections were asked to provide feedback on how the changes in the Act were being applied for the principal area rules. In addition, the Electoral Commission was also consulted on the detailed provisions in these regulations. Feedback on both cases was very useful and the vast majority of the suggested changes have been incorporated. The purpose of the Representation of the People (England and Wales) and the Representation of the People (Combination of Polls) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 is to make changes consequential on the decision not to implement provisions in the Electoral Administration Act 2006 which require a voter in a polling station to provide a signature before being issued with a ballot paper. As a result of this, we are amending the prescribed forms in the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations to remove the signature column from Form L2, the corresponding number list to be used in a polling at a parliamentary election held on its own, and from M2, the equivalent of that form, to be used in polling stations where a parliamentary election is combined with another election or referendum, and remove references to electors signing for their ballot paper in the official poll cards. In these regulations we are also removing references to electors signing for their ballot papers from the guidance for voters that was issued at combined polls. In these regulations we are also correcting minor drafting errors in the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations. The Electoral Commission was consulted on the provisions in these regulations and its views were taken into account. I beg to move. Moved, That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Representation of the People (England and Wales) and the Representation of the People (Combination of Polls) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2007.—(Lord Evans of Temple Guiting.)