The Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2016

Made: 10th February 2016

Laid before Parliament: 12th February 2016

Coming into force: 6th March 2016

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in exercise of the power conferred by section 12(6) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000[^f00001], makes the following Order, which gives effect to recommendations submitted to him by the Electoral Commission for variations to the scheme for the making by the Commission of policy development grants.

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1

• (1) This Order may be cited as the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2016 and comes into force on 6th March 2016.

• (2) In this Order, “the Scheme” means the policy development grants scheme set out in the Schedule to the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) Order 2006[^f00002].

Amendments to the policy development grants scheme

2

The amendments to the Scheme set out in the Schedule have effect for the purpose of the making by the Electoral Commission of policy development grants on or after 1st April 2016.

SCHEDULE — Amendment to the Scheme

1

The Scheme is amended as follows.

2

In paragraph 3(2) (eligible parties), for paragraph (h) substitute “(h) the Ulster Unionist Party.”.

3

Amend paragraph 5 (allocation between eligible parties) as follows—

• (a) in paragraph (a), for “the Liberal Democrat party, and the UK Independence Party” substitute “and the Liberal Democrat party”;

• (b) in paragraph (b), for “and the Social Democratic and Labour party” substitute “, the Social Democratic and Labour party and the Ulster Unionist party”.

4

For paragraph 8 (determination of Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and UK Independence Party shares), substitute—

(8) The Commission is to— (a) add the notional shares calculated in accordance with paragraph 7 for the Conservative party, the Labour party and the Liberal Democrat party; and (b) divide the resultant amount by three.

5

For paragraph 9 (determination of Democratic Unionist and Social Democratic and Labour shares), substitute—

(9) The Commission is to— (a) add the notional shares calculated in accordance with paragraph 7 for the Democratic Unionist party, the Social Democratic and Labour party and the Ulster Unionist party; and (b) divide the resultant amount by three.

Signed

John Penrose — Minister for Constitutional Reform — Cabinet Office — 10th February 2016

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Order amends the Policy Development Grants Scheme 2006 (the “Scheme”) as set out in the Schedule to the Elections (Policy Development Grants Scheme) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/602) for the year ending 31st March 2017 and subsequent years.

Paragraph 2 removes the UK Independence Party (“UKIP”) as an eligible party under the Scheme and adds the Ulster Unionist Party (“UUP”) as an eligible party to benefit from the Scheme.

Paragraph 3 makes consequential amendments to the allocation of the funding as a result of removing UKIP and adding UUP as an eligible party.

Paragraph 4 substitutes paragraph 8 of the Scheme as a consequence of UKIP being removed as an eligible party under the Scheme.

Paragraph 5 substitutes paragraph 9 of the Scheme as a consequence of UUP being added as an eligible party under the Scheme.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2000 c. 41. The powers under section 12 are conferred on “the Secretary of State”, which is defined under section 159A of the Act as meaning the Secretary of State or the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster as amended by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1376), article 3 and Schedule 1, and paragraph 9(2)(b) of Schedule 2.

[^f00002]: S.I. 2006/602 as amended by S.I. 2014/556, S.I. 2015/128 and S.I. 2015/302.