Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.-(1) This Order may be cited as the Recognition and Derecognition Ballots (Qualified Persons) Order 2000 and shall come into force on 6th June 2000.

(2) In this Order "the relevant provisions" means paragraphs 25(7)(a) and 117(9)(a) of Schedule A1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

Qualifications

2. In relation to an individual, the condition specified for the purposes of the relevant provisions is that he-

(a)has in force a practising certificate issued by the Law Society of England and Wales or the Law Society of Scotland; or

(b)is eligible for appointment as a company auditor under section 25 of the Companies Act 1989(2).

3. In relation to a partnership, the condition specified for the purposes of the relevant provisions is that every member of the partnership is an individual who satisfies the condition specified in Article 2.

Persons specified by name

4. The following persons are specified for the purposes of the relevant provisions-

• The Association of Electoral Administrators

• Election.Com Limited

• Electoral Reform (Ballot Services) Limited

• The Industrial Society

• Involvement and Participation Association

• Twenty-First Century Press Limited.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Under Schedule A1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, where the Central Arbitration Committee arranges a ballot on the recognition or derecognition of a trade union for collective bargaining, it must appoint a "qualified independent person" to conduct the ballot. This Order specifies conditions which must be satisfied in order for an individual or partnership to be a qualified person. It also specifies certain persons by name as qualified persons.

The Order comes into force on 6th May 2000.