1.-(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 1997.

(2) These Regulations extend to Northern Ireland only.

2. These Regulations shall come into force on the expiry of seven days after the day on which they are made but regulation 5 shall not apply to an election where the last day by which the notice of election must be published precedes the coming into force of these Regulations.

3. In these Regulations, "the Regulations of 1986" mean the Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1986(4).

4.-(1) Regulation 64 of the Regulations of 1986 (application for absent vote on grounds of physical incapacity) shall be amended as follows.

(2) For paragraph (2)(b) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph-

"(b)a registered nurse within the meaning of section 10(7) of the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1979(5);".

(3) For paragraph (2)(d) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph-

"(d)in the case of an application in which the applicant states that he is resident in a residential care home within the meaning of article 3 of the Registered Homes (Northern Ireland) Order 1992(6) or a nursing home within the meaning of article 16 of that Order, the person registered under that Order as carrying on the home in question;".

(4) In sub-paragraphs (e) and (f) of paragraph (2) "by" shall be omitted.

5. In regulations 66 (additional requirements for applications in respect of a particular election) and 69 (closing dates for applications) of the Regulations of 1986-

(a)in paragraph (6)(a) of regulation 66(7) and paragraphs (1), (2) and (5) of regulation 69(8), for the words "noon on the thirteenth day" there shall in each case be substituted the words "5 p.m. on the eleventh day"; and

(b)in paragraph (6)(a) of regulation 66 and paragraph (3) of regulation 69(9), for the words "noon on the sixth day" there shall in each case be substituted the words "5 p.m. on the sixth day".

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1986 and extend to Northern Ireland only.

Regulation 64 of the 1986 Regulations sets out the additional requirements which apply where a person applies for an absent vote for an indefinite period on the grounds of physical incapacity. Regulation 64(2) makes provision for the attestation of such applications. Regulation 4 of these Regulations amends regulation 64(2) to allow any registered nurse to attest such an application (instead of a first level nurse). It also amends that regulation to take account of changes to the law about residential care homes and nursing homes in Northern Ireland made by the Registered Homes (Northern Ireland) Order 1992.

Regulations 66(6) and 69 of the 1986 Regulations set out the time by which applications relating to absent voting must be received by the registration officer in order to be effective at a particular election. Regulation 5 of these Regulations extends the deadline in respect of most applications from noon on the thirteenth working day before the day of the poll to 5 p.m. on the eleventh working day before the day of the poll. In the case of applications falling within regulation 66(6) (late applications for an absent vote at a particular election because of unforeseen circumstances relating to the applicant's health) the deadline is extended from noon on the sixth working day before the day of the poll to 5 p.m. on the sixth day.