Citation and commencement

1. —(1) This Order may be cited as the Representation of the People (Election Expenses Exclusion) Order 2013.

(2) This Order comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

New general exclusion from the definition of election expenses

2. In Part 2 of Schedule 4A to the Representation of the People Act 1983(election expenses: general exclusions), after paragraph 7 insert—

“ 7A. —(1) The provision of property, goods, services or facilities where the expenses are incurred for the purpose of removing, or mitigating the effect of, barriers to seeking elected office associated with the candidate’s disability.

(2) But an expense is within sub-paragraph (1) only to the extent that it is defrayed or reimbursed by, and was incurred in accordance with the terms of, a grant awarded by the relevant body out of the Access to Elected Office for Disabled People Fund.

(3) In this paragraph—

(a) “the Access to Elected Office for Disabled People Fund” means the fund known by that name comprising money provided by the Secretary of State for the purpose of defraying and reimbursing expenses within sub-paragraph (1);

(b) “the relevant body” means such body as is making funding decisions and administering payments out of that money pursuant to an agreement with the Secretary of State;

(c) “disability” has the same meaning as in the Equality Act 2010 (see section 6 of that Act).

(4) This paragraph ceases to have effect at the end of 30th June 2014; but that does not affect the continued operation of this paragraph in relation to expenses incurred and either defrayed or reimbursed, before that time. ” .