the Member of the House of Commons who is for the time being the Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee of the House of Commons;

the F39Lord President of the Council ;

a Member of the House of Commons who is a Minister of the Crown with responsibilities in relation to local government; and

five Members of the House of Commons who are not Ministers of the Crown.

if the name of that Committee is changed, be taken (subject to paragraph (b)) to be references to the Committee by its new name;

if the functions of that Committee at the passing of this Act with respect to electoral matters (or functions substantially corresponding thereto) become functions of a different committee of the House of Commons, be taken to be references to the committee by whom the functions are for the time being exercisable.

the Speaker of the House of Commons agrees that the motion may be made;

the motion has been the subject of consultation with the registered leader of each registered party to which two or more Members of the House of Commons then belong; and

each person whose appointment is proposed in the motion has been selected in accordance with a procedure put in place and overseen by the Speaker's Committee.

is a member of a registered party;

is an officer or employee of a registered party or of any accounting unit of such a party;

holds a relevant elective office (within the meaning of Schedule 7); or

has not made and subscribed the oath required by the M1Parliamentary Oaths Act 1866 (or the corresponding affirmation); or

is disqualified from sitting and voting in that House.

includes (in relation to times before the appointed day for the purposes of Part II of this Act) a party registered under the M2Registration of Political Parties Act 1998; and

in subsection (4)(b) also includes (in relation to times before 1st April 1999) any political party.

has put forward three persons to be considered for appointment as a nominated Commissioner, or

previously put forward persons one of whom was appointed as a nominated Commissioner and is expected to continue to hold office.

has not made and subscribed the oath required by the Parliamentary Oaths Act 1866 (or the corresponding affirmation), or

is disqualified from sitting and voting in that House.

consider the representations or information, and

decide whether, and (if so) to what extent, they should act on the representations or information.

his appointment is terminated for any reason by the treasurer of the party, or

the party ceases to be a qualifying party.

to which two or more Members of the House of Commons for the time being belong, who have made and subscribed to the oath required by the M3Parliamentary Oaths Act 1866 (or the corresponding affirmation) and are not disqualified from sitting or voting in the House; or

to which two or more such Members belonged immediately after the most recent parliamentary general election.

each election to which this section applies, and

each referendum to which Part VII applies,

a parliamentary general election;

a European Parliamentary general election;

a Scottish Parliamentary general election;

a National Assembly for Wales general election;

a Northern Ireland Assembly general election.

an ordinary election of police and crime commissioners.

a parliamentary by-election,

an election held under section 9 of the Scotland Act 1998 (election for the Scottish Parliament in the case of a constituency vacancy), F62...

an election held under F12section 10 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (election for the National Assembly for Wales in the case of a constituency vacancy), F63or

an election held under section 51 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (election to fill vacancy in office of police and crime commissioner),

such matters relating to elections to which this section applies as the Commission may determine from time to time;

such matters relating to referendums to which this section applies as the Commission may so determine;

the redistribution of seats at parliamentary elections;

if any functions are transferred by an order under section 18(1), 19(1) or 20(1), the matters in relation to which those functions are exercisable;

the registration of political parties and the regulation of their income and expenditure;

political advertising in the broadcast and other electronic media;

the law relating to the matters mentioned in each of paragraphs (a) to (f).

review, and

submit a report to the Secretary of State on,

the funding of political parties under section 97 of the M4Scotland Act 1998 or for the purpose of assisting members of the Northern Ireland Assembly connected with such parties to perform their Assembly duties F14or the funding of political groups under section 24 of the Government of Wales Act 2006;

the conduct of referendums held in pursuance of any provision made by or under an Act of the Scottish Parliament or the Northern Ireland Assembly or the conduct of any poll under F15section 64 of the Government of Wales Act 2006;

the law relating to the matters mentioned in each of paragraphs (a) and (b).

in the case of referendums, referendums to which Part VII applies and those under Part II of the M5Local Government Act 2000.

proceedings relating to an election specified in subsection (5) which are the responsibility of the returning officer for the election;

proceedings relating to a referendum to which Part 7 applies which are the responsibility of the relevant counting officer.

a member of the Commission;

a member of staff of the Commission;

a person appointed by the Commission for the purposes of this section.

if the area to which the proceedings relates is in Great Britain, in accordance with section 128(3);

if the area to which the proceedings relates is Northern Ireland, as a reference to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland.

an election mentioned in section 5(2);

a parliamentary by-election;

an election under section 9 of the Scotland Act 1998 (constituency vacancies);

an election under F16section 10 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (constituency vacancies);

an election under section 51 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (election to fill vacancy in office of police and crime commissioner);

a local government election in England or Wales;

a local government election in Scotland;

a local election in Northern Ireland.

an electoral registration officer;

a returning officer;

a relevant counting officer;

any person acting under the direction of a person mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c).

“relevant counting officer”, and

“representative of the Commission”,

proceedings at the issue or receipt of postal ballot papers;

proceedings at the poll;

proceedings at the counting of votes.

refuse an application under subsection (1), or

revoke the grant of any such application,

proceedings at the issue or receipt of postal ballot papers;

proceedings at the poll;

proceedings at the counting of votes.

refuse an application under subsection (1), or

revoke the grant of any such application,

in the case of proceedings at a polling station, the presiding officer;

in the case of any other proceedings at an election, the returning officer;

in the case of any other proceedings at a referendum, the relevant counting officer (within the meaning of section 6A);

such other person as a person mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) authorises for the purposes of the proceedings mentioned in that paragraph.

representatives of the Commission,

accredited observers, and

nominated members of accredited organisations,

specify the manner in which applications under sections 6C(1) and 6D(1) are to be made to the Commission;

specify the criteria to be taken into account by the Commission in determining such applications;

give guidance to relevant officers (within the meaning of section 6E) as to the exercise of the power conferred by subsection (1) of that section;

give guidance to such officers as to the exercise of the power mentioned in subsection (2) of that section as it relates to a person having the permission mentioned in subsection (1) of that section;

give guidance to such officers as to the exercise of any power under any enactment to control the number of persons present at any proceedings relating to an election or referendum as it relates to a person having such permission;

give guidance to representatives of the Commission, accredited observers and nominated members of accredited organisations on the exercise of the rights conferred by sections 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D.

the Commission;

representatives of the Commission;

relevant officers (within the meaning of section 6E);

relevant counting officers.

“accredited observer” must be construed in accordance with section 6C;

“accredited organisation” must be construed in accordance with section 6D, and “nominated member” must be construed accordingly;

“relevant counting officer” must be construed in accordance with section 6A;

“representative of the Commission” has the same meaning as in section 6A.

representatives of the Commission;

accredited observers; and

nominated members of accredited organisations,

specify the manner in which applications under section 6C(1) and 6D(1) are to be made to the Commission;

specify the criteria to be taken into account by the Commission in determining such applications;

give guidance to relevant officers (within the meaning of section 6E) as to the exercise of the power conferred by subsection (1) of that section;

give guidance to such officers as to the exercise of the power mentioned in subsection (2) of that section as it relates to a person having the permission mentioned in subsection (1) of that section;

give guidance to such officers as to the exercise of any power under any enactment to control the number of persons present at any proceedings relating to an election as it relates to a person having such permission;

give guidance to representatives of the Commission, accredited observers and nominated members of accredited organisations on the exercise of the rights conferred by sections 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D.

the Commission;

representatives of the Commission;

relevant officers (within the meaning of section 6E).

regulations under F17the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002;

an order under F18section 6(2)(b) or (3)(b) of that Act (designations of regional returning officers);

an order under section 24(1)(c), (cc) or (e), 25(1)(b), 28(1)(b) or 35(2B) of the Representation of the M6People Act 1983 (designations of returning officers and acting returning officers);

rules under section 36 of that Act (local government elections in England and Wales);

regulations under that Act (“the 1983 Act”), or under the Representation of the M7People Act 1985, in relation to which section 201(2) of the 1983 Act (regulations which may not be made unless a draft of them has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament) has effect;

regulations made by virtue of paragraph 7F of Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 2000 (regulations made by the Scottish Ministers about notification of rejected postal votes in relation to local government elections in Scotland);

an order under section 13 or 64(3) of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (conduct of elections to the National Assembly for Wales and of polls held by Welsh Ministers);

an order under section 12(1) or (6) of the M8Scotland Act 1998 (conduct of elections to the Scottish Parliament);

an order under section 34(4) of the M9Northern Ireland Act 1998 (conduct of elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly);

an order under subsection (1)(b) of section 54 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (designations of returning officers for elections of persons as police and crime commissioners in England and Wales);

regulations under subsection (2) of that section (functions of returning officers and local returning officers for such elections);

an order under section 58 of that Act (conduct of elections of persons as police and crime commissioners in England and Wales);

an order under section 17A(3) of the M10Greater London Authority Act 1999 (free delivery of election addresses at elections to the Greater London Authority).

an order under section 3(1) of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004.

regulations under section 9(5) or 18 of the Recall of MPs Act 2015 (wording of the recall petition signing sheet and the conduct of a recall petition etc).

the making of orders under section 76(2A) of that Act (limitation of expenses in connection with elections to the Greater London Authority);

the making of orders under section F2013 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 or section 12 of the M13Scotland Act 1998 so far as relating to the matters mentioned in subsection (2)(c) of the section (limitation of expenses in connection with elections to the National Assembly for Wales or Scottish Parliament);

the making of regulations under F21section 7(2)(a) of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002(limitation of expenses in connection with elections to the European Parliament).

may participate with any relevant local authority in the joint submission of proposals falling within section 10(1) of the Representation of the People Act 2000 (pilot schemes); and

determine standards of performance for relevant officers, and

publish, in such form and in such manner as they consider appropriate, the standards so determined.

electoral registration officers in the performance of their functions;

returning officers in the administration of the elections specified in subsection (6);

counting officers in the administration of the referendums specified in subsection (7).

the Secretary of State, and

any other person they think appropriate.

an election mentioned in section 5(2);

a parliamentary by-election;

an election under section 9 of the Scotland Act 1998 (constituency vacancies);

an election under F22section 10 of the Government of Wales Act 2006(constituency vacancies) ;

an election under section 51 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (election to fill vacancy in office of police and crime commissioner);

a local government election in England or Wales.

a local government election in Scotland.

a referendum to which Part 7 applies;

a referendum under Part 2 of the Local Government Act 2000.

electoral registration officers;

in relation to elections within subsection (6), returning officers;

in relation to referendums within subsection (7), counting officers.

must specify the relevant officer or officers to whom it is issued (and may specify a description or descriptions of relevant officers),

may require the report or reports to relate to such elections or referendums (or both) as may be specified in the direction, and

may require the report or reports to be provided in a form specified in the direction.

must specify the relevant officer or officers to whom it relates;

must specify the period to which it relates;

may specify the elections or referendums (or both) to which it relates.

provide to each relevant officer a copy of those parts of the assessment which relate to him;

have regard to any comments made by him regarding the factual accuracy of the assessment.

in the case of an electoral registration officer, expenditure in connection with the performance of his functions;

in the case of a returning officer, expenditure in connection with the election or elections specified in section 9A(6) for which he is appointed or otherwise holds office;

in the case of a counting officer, expenditure in connection with the referendum or referendums specified in section 9A(7) for which he is appointed.

may require the information to relate to such elections or (as the case may be) referendums as may be specified in the direction;

may require the information to be provided in a form specified in the direction;

may specify the time within which the information must be provided.

provide advice and assistance to other persons which is incidental to, or otherwise connected with, the discharge by the Commission of their functions.

may make charges for advice or assistance provided by them under subsection (1); but

may not make charges for advice and assistance provided under subsection (3).

the Scottish Parliament;

the Scottish Executive;

the National Assembly for Wales;

the Welsh Ministers;

the National Assembly for Wales Commission;

the Northern Ireland Assembly;

the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly;

a national or regional parliament or government in a country other than the United Kingdom;

a body in any such other country having functions corresponding to any of the functions of the Commission;

an organisation of which two or more countries (or their governments) are members or a subordinate body of such an organisation.

the parties eligible for policy development grants, and

how any money provided to the Commission for the making of policy development grants is to be allocated between the parties eligible for such grants.

current electoral systems in the United Kingdom and any pending such systems, together with such matters connected with any such existing or pending systems as the Commission may determine;

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

in paragraph (a), for “in the United Kingdom” there is substituted for elections to the European Parliament in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar; F42...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

carrying out programmes of education or information to promote public awareness of any of the matters mentioned in subsection (1); or

making grants to other persons or bodies for the purpose of enabling them to carry out such programmes.