l.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Representation of the People (Form of Canvass) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2001 and shall come into force on the expiry of 14 days beginning with the day on which they are made.

(2) These Regulations do not extend to England, Wales or Scotland.

2.  The form set out in the Schedule to these Regulations is hereby prescribed as the form to be used for the purposes of the canvass which is required to be conducted by section 10 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

SCHEDULEForm of Canvass

RETURN BY OCCUPIER AS TO RESIDENTS

Your right to vote

You can vote in elections only if your name appears in the register of electors. This form is used to produce a revised version of the register which will come into force at the beginning of December.

About this form

The law requires you to give the information requested in this form.

This canvass is conducted by reference to 15th October 2001. But you need not wait until then to fill in the form. Include the names of all those who will be resident in your household on that date—their right to vote is important too. However, if you are moving from your current address before 15th October, do not complete this form: please leave it for the new occupants to complete.

In order to be registered in respect of an address, you must be resident at that address on 15th October and in Northern Ireland for the whole of the period of three months ending on that date.

If you do not return this form, your name may be omitted from the revised version of the register even though it is currently included in it.

If there is anything you don't understand or if you would like more information, contact the Chief Electoral Officer at the address shown on the form.

Checking the register

The revised register is published on or shortly before 1st December and is available for inspection at the offices of the Chief Electoral Officer. If for some reason you have been missed off, or your details have changed since 15th October 2001 (for example, because you have moved address) you should apply immediately to have your name added to the register or to have the register altered.

ANNUAL CANVASS OF ELECTORS 2001

You are required by law to give the information requested in this form.

Be sure to include those resident in your household who are:

• —16 and 17 year olds—they can vote as soon as they are 18. Please give their dates of birth in Part 4.

• —temporarily away—for example on holiday, as students, in hospital (including voluntary patients in psychiatric hospitals).

• —away working, unless his or her absence will total more than six months.

• —any other residents, lodgers or guests (but not short-stay visitors) in your household, whether this is a private address, a hostel or a club, including merchant seamen who live there when not at sea.

• —citizens of other Member States of the European Union (who will be registered as local government electors only). These states are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

Do not include:

• —foreign nationals—except for citizens of Member States of the European Union and Commonwealth Citizens.

• —people under 16.

• —anybody normally resident at your address who is serving a prison sentence on 15th October.

• —anybody who will be leaving your address before 15th October.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Under section 10 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as substituted by Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 2000) the Chief Electoral Officer as the registration officer is required to conduct an annual canvass (by reference to residence on 15th October in that year) in his registration area to ascertain the persons who are entitled to be or remain registered as parliamentary or local electors in that area. These Regulations specify a form for the purposes of that canvass.