Explanatory note

This Order, which applies in Northern Ireland, revokes and replaces the Returning Officer’s Charges (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (“the 1991 Order”).

Under section 29(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as substituted by the Representation of the People Act 1991), the entitlement of a returning officer at a parliamentary election to recover his charges in respect of his expenses for or in connection with such an election depends upon—

Parts A and B of the Schedule to this Order specify the kinds of expenses incurred by a returning officer for or in connection with a parliamentary election in respect of which he is entitled to recover his charges, together (in the case of Part A) with the maximum recoverable amounts in respect of those charges. The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is the returning officer for each constituency in Northern Ireland by virtue of section 26 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. Part A of the Schedule to this Order increases the maximum recoverable amounts from those that were specified in the equivalent provisions in the 1991 Order. Paragraph 3 of Part A of the Schedule has been simplified by the omission of references to the manual preparation of official poll cards that are no longer appropriate since a computer is now used in the production of those cards. The basis for calculating the returning officer’s other expenses under Part A of the Schedule to this Order has been slightly changed. This Order also makes minor drafting changes.