Major Capital Contracts (Skills Training Requirements) – in the House of Commons at 9:02 pm on 2 March 2010.
'(1) Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2) (parliamentary elections rules) is amended as follows.
(2) In rule 44 (attendance at counting of votes) after paragraph (5) insert-
"(6) In making arrangements under this rule, the returning officer shall have regard to the duty imposed on him by rule 45(3A) below."
(3) In rule 45 (the count)-
(a) after paragraph (3) insert-
"(3A) The returning officer shall take reasonable steps to begin counting the votes given on the ballot papers as soon as practicable within the period of four hours starting with the close of the poll.";
(b) after paragraph (7) insert-
"(8) The Electoral Commission shall issue guidance to returning officers on the duty imposed by paragraph (3A) above."
(4) After rule 53 insert-
"Counting of votes: statement by returning officer
53ZA (1) In a contested election, if the counting of the votes given on the ballot papers did not begin within the period specified in rule 45(3A) above, the returning officer shall before the expiry of the period of 30 days starting with the day on which the poll closed-
(a) prepare and publish a statement giving the information specified in paragraph (2) below, and
(b) deliver it to the Electoral Commission.
(2) The statement must-
(a) specify the time at which the counting of the votes given on the ballot papers began,
(b) describe the steps taken under rule 45(3A) above, and
(c) explain why the counting of the votes given on the ballot papers did not start within the period specified in rule 45(3A) above.
(3) Where a statement is delivered to the Electoral Commission under paragraph (1)(b) above, the Commission shall specify in any election report they produce that a statement has been delivered to them under that paragraph in respect of the constituency to which the statement relates.
(4) In paragraph (3) above "election report" means a report under section 5(1) or (2A) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 in relation to the parliamentary election in question."'.- (Mr. Wills.)
Brought up, and added to the Bill .
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent
