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Welsh Statutory Instruments

2026 No. 81

Representation of the people, wales

The Representation of the People (Removal of the Edited Register) (Wales) Regulations 2026

Made

11 March 2026

Coming into force

1 October 2026

The Welsh Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred on the Secretary of State by sections 53(1) and (4) and 201(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983(1) (“ the 1983 Act ”) and now exercisable by them(2).

In accordance with the Senedd approval procedure applied by section 201(2)(3) of the 1983 Act(4) a draft of this Welsh statutory instrument was laid before, and approved by resolution of, Senedd Cymru.

Title and coming into force

1. —(1) The title of these Regulations is the Representation of the People (Removal of the Edited Register) (Wales) Regulations 2026.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 1 October 2026.

Amendments to the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001

1. The Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001(5) are amended in accordance with regulations 3 to 5.

2. In regulation 93 (edited version of register), after paragraph (7) insert—

“ (8) This regulation does not apply to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales. ”

1. In regulation 93A (notifying registration officer of change to edited register preference), after paragraph (4) insert—

“ (5) This regulation does not apply to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales. ”

1. In regulation 110 (sale of edited register), after paragraph (2) insert—

“ (3) This regulation does not apply to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales. ”

Edited version of a register of local government electors for an area in Wales in force prior to the coming into force of these Regulations

1. From the day these Regulations come into force, an electoral registration officer responsible for a register of local government electors for an area in Wales(6) must cease to make available, for public inspection and sale, the edited version of that register that is in force at that time.

Jayne Bryant

Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, one of the Welsh Ministers

11 March 2026

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

As part of the introduction of electoral registration without applications, under the changes made by the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (“ the 2024 Act ”), these Regulations disapply the requirements in the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 (“ the 2001 Regulations ”) placed upon Electoral Registration Officers to prepare edited registers of local government electors for an area in Wales or supply such registers or part of them to any person on payment of a fee.

In accordance with section 72(5)(d) of the 2024 Act, the provisions of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of that Act (electoral registration without applications) may not be commenced until the requirements to prepare and supply an edited register of local government electors for an area in Wales are no longer in force.

Regulation 3 disapplies regulation 93 (edited version of register) of the 2001 Regulations in relation to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales.

Regulation 4 disapplies regulation 93A (notifying registration officer of change to edited register preference) of the 2001 Regulations in relation to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales.

Regulation 5 disapplies regulation 110 (sale of edited register) of the 2001 Regulations in relation to a register of local government electors for an area in Wales.

Regulation 6 requires a registration officer responsible for a register of local government electors for an area in Wales to cease to make available, for public inspection and sale, the edited version of that register that is in force at the time of the coming into force of these Regulations.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ and is published on www.gov.wales.

(1) 1983 c. 2. Section 53 was amended by section 24 and paragraph 13(b) of Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 1985, and paragraph 13(b) of Schedule 1, and Part 1 of Schedule 7, of the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c. 2).

(2) The functions of the Secretary of State, insofar as they are exercisable within devolved competence, were transferred to the Welsh Ministers by article 45 of, and paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to, the Welsh Ministers (Transfer of Functions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/644).

(3) The reference to each House of Parliament in section 201(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 is to be read as a reference to the National Assembly for Wales by virtue of paragraph 9(2)(b) of Schedule 3 to the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32). The National Assembly for Wales was renamed Senedd Cymru by virtue of section 2 of the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1).

(4) Section 201(2) was substituted by section 24 of, and paragraph 69 of Schedule 4 to, the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), and was amended by paragraph 6(1) and (7)(b) of Schedule 21 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41); by section 13(2) of the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 (c. 13); by paragraph 1(9) of Schedule 8 to the Elections Act 2022 (c. 37); and by S.I. 1991/1728.

(5) S.I. 2001/341. Part 6 was inserted by S.I. 2002/1871, regulation 15. Paragraph (2A) of regulation 93 was inserted by S.I. 2006/2910, regulation 23. There are other amendments to Part 6 which are not relevant.

(6) As appointed in accordance with section 8(2A) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2). Section 8 was amended by section 66(6) and (8) of, and paragraph 68(1) of Schedule 16 to, the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 (c. 19), to insert provisions regarding the appointment of electoral registration officers in Wales.

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