{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/recall-of-mps-act-2015-recall-petition-regulations-2016/regulation-72C",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/recall-of-mps-act-2015-recall-petition-regulations-2016/regulation-72C.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2016/295",
  "legislation_title": "The Recall of MPs Act 2015 (Recall Petition) Regulations 2016",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/recall-of-mps-act-2015-recall-petition-regulations-2016",
  "path": "regulation/72C",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "72C",
  "heading": "Processing of information provided in connection with absent signing applications",
  "text": "(1) If a person provides an original document under regulation 72B, the registration officer must make a copy of that document and return the original document to the person who provided it.\n(2) In respect of an application under Part 4 for absent signing at a particular petition in England, Wales or Scotland, the registration officer must retain until the application has been determined—\n(a) the application form or, in the case of an application made through the digital service, the information contained in the application transmitted to the registration officer by the Secretary of State;\n(b) any other information or documents provided to the registration officer in connection with the application or, in the case of original documents which are returned under paragraph (1), a copy of such documents.\n(3) Subject to paragraph (4), the registration officer may retain the application form, information and documents in paragraph (2) after the application has been determined but, if they do so, must delete the applicant’s national insurance number from the application form, information and documents in paragraph (2) by no later than the date which is 13 months from the date on which the registration officer determined the application for absent signing.\n(4) The requirement to delete the national insurance number in paragraph (3) does not apply where the application, information and documents in paragraph (2) are required for the purpose of any civil or criminal proceedings.\n(5) Information disclosed under regulation 72A must not be disclosed to any other person, except—\n(a) for the purpose of determining the application for absent signing in connection with which the information was disclosed, or\n(b) for the purpose of any civil or criminal proceedings.\n(6) A person who discloses information in breach of paragraph (5) is guilty of an offence and liable—\n(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine (or both);\n(b) on summary conviction—\n(i) in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court, or to a fine (or both);\n(ii) in Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or both).\n(7) Any information disclosed under regulation 72A must be processed in accordance with any requirements as to the processing of information that may have been imposed by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in writing in advance of that processing, including requirements as to the transfer, storage, destruction and security of that information.\n(8) In this regulation, “copy” includes an electronic copy.",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Regs. 72A-72C inserted (E.W.S.) (31.10.2023) by The Representation of the People (Postal and Proxy Voting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1147), regs. 1(2), 19(13) (with Sch. 2 paras. 33, 35, 36, 39)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in reg. 72C(7) substituted (30.10.2024) by The Transfer of Functions (Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government) Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/991), art. 1(2), Sch. para. 20(3) (with art. 7)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/295/regulation/72C",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T23:26:13.164279+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}