Paragraph 9 I1

For paragraph 4 substitute—

“ Returning officers

4

(1)

There shall be a returning officer for each electoral region who shall be—

(a)

in the case of a region in England and in the case of Wales, a person who—

(i)

is an acting returning officer by virtue of section 28(1) of the Representation of the M1People Act 1983, and

(ii)

is designated for the purposes of this sub-paragraph by order of the Secretary of State;

(b)

in the case of Scotland, a person who—

(i)

is a returning officer by virtue of section 25 of that Act, and

(ii)

is designated for the purposes of this sub-paragraph by order of the Secretary of State;

(c)

in the case of Northern Ireland, the Chief Electoral Officer.

(2)

Regulations under paragraph 2 may confer functions on the returning officers for electoral regions and on persons who are, in relation to parliamentary elections—

(a)

in the case of England and Wales, acting returning officers, or

(b)

in the case of Scotland, returning officers.

(3)

The council of a relevant area which is wholly or partly within an electoral region shall place the services of their officers at the disposal of any person on whom functions in relation to that region are conferred in accordance with sub-paragraph (2), for the purpose of assisting him in the discharge of those functions.

(4)

In sub-paragraph (3), “relevant area” means—

(a)

a district or London borough in England,

(b)

a county or county borough in Wales, and

(c)

a local government area in Scotland.”.