Legislative Consent: Elections Bill

The Elections Bill (the Bill) was introduced in the House of Commons on 5 July 2021.

The long title to the Bill notes that it is a Bill “to make provision about the administration and conduct of elections, including provision designed to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process; about overseas electors; about voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens; about the designation of a strategy and policy statement for the Electoral Commission; about the membership of the Speaker's Committee; about the Electoral Commission's functions in relation to criminal proceedings; about financial information to be provided by a political party on applying for registration; for preventing a person being registered as a political party and being a recognised non-party campaigner at the same time; about regulation of expenditure for political purposes; about disqualification of offenders for holding elective offices; about information to be included in electronic campaigning material; and for connected purposes.”

The Bill is subject to the legislative consent process under Standing Order 29. This is when the consent of the Welsh Parliament is sought by the UK Government to legislate on an issue which falls  within the competence of the Senedd.

The Legislative Consent Motion for the Elections Bill was agreed in Plenary on 29 March 2022.

Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 2) – March 2022

On 22 March 2022, the Welsh Government laid a Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (PDF 154KB).

The Business Committee agreed (PDF 45.2KB) that the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Elections Bill (Memorandum No. 2) will be considered and reported on, to the Senedd, by 29 March 2022.

Legislative Consent Memorandum – September 2021

The Welsh Government laid a Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM) on the Bill before the Senedd on 9 September 2021.

The Business Committee agreed (PDF 38.3KB), in accordance with Standing Order 29.4(i), to invite the Local Government and Housing Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to consider and report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Elections Bill, to the Senedd, by 4 November 2021.

On 4 November 2021, the Business Committee agreed (PDF 39.1KB) a new reporting deadline of 16 December.

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee published its report on the Welsh Government’s Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Elections Bill (PDF 231KB) on 2 December 2021. The Welsh Government responded (PDF 372KB) to the report on 16 February 2022.

The Local Government and Housing Committee published its report on the Welsh Government’s Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Elections Bill (PDF 135KB) on 3 December 2021.

Further information on the Senedd’s consideration of the LCM, including relevant correspondence, can be found under ‘Related Meetings’.