Citation, commencement, extent and savings

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) (Amendment) Order 2023 and comes into force on 27th February 2023.

(2) This Order extends to England and Wales.

(3) Article 2 does not apply in relation to—

(a) a parliamentary general election to which paragraph 18 of Schedule 1 to the Elections Act 2022( 3) does not apply;

(b) an election in respect of which the date of poll as specified in the notice of election published in accordance with rule 5 of Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983( 4) is on or before 3rd May 2023.

Amendment of the Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) Order 2007

2.—(1) The Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) Order 2007( 5) is amended as follows.

(2) In article 6 (Welsh and English versions of prescribed forms and a form of words), in paragraph (1)—

(a) in the opening words for “(a) to (s)” substitute “(a) to (t)”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (t), for “ballet” substitute “ballot”.

(3) In Schedule 2 (Welsh and English versions of prescribed forms and a form of words), for Form 7 (official proxy poll card) substitute the new form set out in the Schedule to this Order.

Amendment of the Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) (Amendment) Order 2022

3.  In the Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) (Amendment) Order 2022( 6)—

(a) omit article 2(4)(a)(v);

(b) in Schedule 2, omit Form 7.

Article 2(3)

SCHEDULE New Welsh and English version of prescribed form of official proxy poll card

Form 7: Official proxy poll card (to be sent to an appointed proxy voting in person)

Front of form

Rear of form

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) Order 2007 ( S.I. 2007/1014) (“ the 2007 Order”) to correct errors identified in the Parliamentary Elections (Welsh Forms) (Amendment) Order 2022 ( S.I. 2022/1402) (“ the 2022 Order”) by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments in their Twenty-Sixth Report of Session 2022-23 (the report can be viewed athttps://committees.parliament.uk/publications/33949/documents/186164/default/).

Article 2(2) amends article 6(1) of the 2007 Order to insert a reference to sub-paragraph (t), which was inserted by the 2022 Order, and to correct a typographical error in that sub-paragraph.

Article 2(3) substitutes an updated version of the prescribed form of the Welsh and English version of the official proxy poll card for use in relation to parliamentary elections in Wales. This updated version replaces the version set out in Schedule 2 to the 2022 Order, which did not contain all the information contained in the English version.

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