Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.

Mr. Heath: In clause 3(2), the relevant date is specified as 1 December. Clause 15(4) contains a relevant date with regard to Gibraltar. Is there a coincidence between the two dates? Can the Minister assure me that the relevant date for the purpose of Gibraltar will be before or simultaneous to the relevant day with respect to clause 3?

Yvette Cooper: I cannot answer the hon. Gentleman's question immediately, partly because I am not entirely sure what it was. I think that he was referring to clause 9 and the date of 1 September 2003. Is that right?

Mr. Heath: I was referring to clause 15(4), which specifies a ''relevant date'' as far as an application for registration in the Gibraltar register is concerned. I am trying to ascertain the relationship between the ''relevant date'' and the ''relevant day'' specified in clause 3, which relates to registration for the overall franchise for the European elections.

Yvette Cooper: The day specified in clause 3 sets the electoral register so that the Electoral Commission can get on and work out the distribution of MEPs. It sets the electoral register as the being the register on the preceding 1 December. It will include United Kingdom and Commonwealth citizens and citizens of the Irish Republic resident in the UK who are entitled to vote. Members of the House of Lords and citizens of other member states who have registered to vote in the UK are entitled to vote in European elections.

Clause 15 refers to registration in Gibraltar. It is not related to the register for the calculation of the distribution of MEPs for exactly the same reason that we discussed earlier when the hon. Gentleman wanted to add the word ''Gibraltar''. I explained then that, because of the time scale, the two processes have to be carried out in parallel and therefore cannot relate to each other. The electoral register for Gibraltar will have to be put together separately and there will be separate dates in order to get the Gibraltarians registered in time for the 2004 elections.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause 3 ordered to stand part of the Bill.