Commentary on Sections Section 6: Regulations as to information about national insurance numbers
32.This section amends paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to the Representation of the People Act 1983 which confers powers on the Secretary of State to make regulations. Subsection (2) inserts new sub-paragraphs (4A) and (4B).
33.The new sub-paragraph (4A) enables provision to be made for the disclosure by the authority responsible for national insurance numbers to the Chief Electoral Officer following a request by him of the national insurance number recorded in respect of a specified individual, or of the fact that the specified individual is not recorded as having a national insurance number. It also enables the authority responsible for national insurance numbers to disclose to the Chief Electoral Officer, in the case of a specified individual recorded as having a national insurance number, any name and former name, date of birth, sex and address as recorded by the relevant authority in respect of the individual in question.
34.The new sub-paragraph (4B) enables regulations to be made authorising the relevant authority to charge fees to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland to cover the expenses of the relevant authority in complying with such requests.