Representation of the People Act 1983

Valid from 25/11/2002

[F2199AFunctions of the Lord ChancellorU.K.

In this Act, except—

(a)sections 54 and 161 above, and

(b)rules 3(3) and 51(6) of Schedule 1 to this Act,

Valid from 11/09/2006

[F3199BTranslations etc of certain documentsU.K.

(1)Subsections (2) and (3) below apply to any document which under or by virtue of this Act is required or authorised to be given to voters or displayed in any place for the purposes of a parliamentary or local government election.

(2)The person who is required or authorised to give or display the document must, as he thinks appropriate, give or display or otherwise make available in such form as he thinks appropriate—

(a)the document in Braille;

(b)the document in languages other than English;

(c)graphical representations of the information contained in the document;

(d)other means of making the information contained in the document accessible to persons who might not otherwise have reasonable access to the information.

(3)The person required or authorised to give or display the document must also, as he thinks appropriate, make available the information contained in the document in such audible form as he thinks appropriate.

(4)Subsections (2) and (3) above do not apply to—

(a)the nomination paper;

(b)the ballot paper.

(5)The returning officer at a parliamentary election or a local government election may cause to be displayed at every polling station in the election an enlarged sample copy of the ballot paper.

(6)The sample copy mentioned in subsection (5) above—

(a)in the case of a parliamentary election or a local government election where only one candidate is to be elected, must have printed the words “VOTE FOR ONE CANDIDATE ONLY” both at the top and immediately below the list of candidates,

(b)in the case of a local government election where more than one candidate is to be elected, must have printed the words “VOTE FOR NO MORE THAN [here insert the maximum number of candidates to be elected] CANDIDATES” both at the top and immediately below the list of candidates, and

(c)in each case, below the second occurrence of those words, may include a translation of those words into such other languages as the returning officer thinks appropriate.

(7)The returning officer at a parliamentary election or a local government election must provide at every polling station in the election an enlarged hand-held sample copy of the ballot paper for the assistance of voters who are partially sighted.

(8)The sample copy mentioned in subsection (7) above must be clearly marked as a specimen provided only for the guidance of voters.

(9)In the application of subsection (2)(b) to Northern Ireland any question as to whether a person is to give or display or otherwise make available a document in a language other than English is to be decided by the returning officer.

(10)This section does not apply to a local government election in Scotland.]

Valid from 17/02/2007

[F4199CScottish local government elections: translations etc. of certain documentsS

(1)Subsections (2) and (3) below apply to any document which, under or by virtue of this Act, is required or authorised to be given to voters or displayed in any place for the purposes of a local government election in Scotland.

(2)The person who is required or authorised to give or display the document must, as he thinks appropriate, also give or display or otherwise make available in such form as he thinks appropriate—

(a)the document in Braille;

(b)the document in languages other than English;

(c)graphical representations of the information contained in the document;

(d)other means of making the information contained in the document accessible to persons who might not otherwise have reasonable access to the information.

(3)The person required or authorised to give or display the document must also, as he thinks appropriate, make available the information contained in the document in such audible form as he thinks appropriate.

(4)Subsections (2) and (3) above do not apply to—

(a)the nomination paper; or

(b)the ballot paper.]

Valid from 26/03/2001

[F6200A Remuneration for free postal services provided under Act.U.K.

(1)This section applies where any postal services are provided without charge by a universal service provider in pursuance of this Act.

(2)The universal service provider shall be entitled to be remunerated for having provided the services at the rate fixed in relation to them by virtue of a scheme under section 89 of the Postal Services Act 2000.

(3)A sum which a universal service provider is entitled to receive by virtue of this section shall be charged on, and issued out of, the Consolidated Fund.

(4)In this section “postal services” and “universal service provider” have the same meanings as in the Postal Services Act 2000.]