Interpretation
1.—(1) This Schedule has effect for controlling donations to constituency and individual candidates at an Assembly election and in the following provisions of this Schedule references to “candidate” shall be construed accordingly.
(2) For the purposes of this Schedule, except where the context otherwise requires—
“relevant donation”, in relation to a candidate at an Assembly election, means a donation to the candidate or his election agent for the purpose of meeting election expenses incurred by or on behalf of the candidate; and
“donation” shall be construed in accordance with paragraphs 2 to 4.
(3) In the definition of “relevant donation”, the reference to a donation for the purpose of meeting election expenses incurred by or on behalf of a candidate includes a reference to a donation for the purpose of securing that any such expenses are not so incurred; and a donation shall be taken to be a donation for either of those purposes if, having regard to all the circumstances, it must reasonably be assumed to be such a donation.
(4) In relation to a donation received by a candidate at an Assembly election, references to a permissible donor falling within section 54(2) of the 2000 Political Parties Act are to be read as if section 54(2) did not include a party registered in the Northern Ireland register maintained by the Commission under Part 2 of that Act of 2000(1).
Section 54(2) was amended by S.I. 2004/366, see article 4(2) and paragraphs 1 and 12(a) of the Schedule to that S.I. Section 11 to the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33) has extended until 31st October 2007 the disapplication of Part 4 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 in respect of a party registered in Northern Ireland and makes specific provisions in respect of section 54.