Electoral Reform Act 2022

Amendment of section 4 of Principal Act

182. Section 4 of the Principal Act is amended, in subsection (3), by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (c)—

“(c) Where, following consideration of any comments which the person to whom a notification issues under paragraph (a), or where such person fails to make any such comments, the Standards in Public Offices Commission continues to be of the opinion that there may have been a contravention of a provision of Part IV, V or VI or regulations made under section 72, it shall consider—

(i) whether, in the opinion of the Standards in Public Office Commission, there is evidence sufficient to justify the bringing of proceedings in relation to an offence for a contravention of the provisions of Part IV, V or VI or regulations made under section 72, or

(ii) where there is not sufficient evidence, whether to direct the carrying out of an investigation by an authorised officer under section 4B(1).”.