(1)    This Order may be cited as the Returning Officers (Parliamentary Constituencies) (Wales) Order 2007.

(2)    This Order comes into force—

(a)    for the purposes of parliamentary elections upon the next issue of a proclamation by Her Majesty summoning a new Parliament;

(b)    for the purposes of proceedings preliminary or relating to the next general election, on the day after the day on which it is made.

(3)    References to constituencies in this Order are references to constituencies in Wales, which are established by the Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006 or any subsequent Order in respect of Wales under the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986.

Subject to article 1(2), the following Orders are revoked—

(a)    the Returning Officers (Parliamentary Constituencies) (Wales) Order 1996; and

(b)    the Returning Officers (Parliamentary Constituencies) (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2004.

In the case of the county constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, being a county constituency which is not coterminous with or wholly contained in a preserved county as defined by section 64 of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, the sheriff of the preserved county of Mid Glamorgan shall be the returning officer at a parliamentary election.

In the case of the borough constituency of Cardiff South and Penarth, being a borough constituency which is not coterminous with or wholly contained in a county or county borough, the chairman of Cardiff County Council shall be the returning officer for a parliamentary election.

In the case of a county constituency specified in column 1 of the Schedule to this Order, the duties of the returning officer for a parliamentary election shall be discharged, as acting returning officer, by the officer of the council appointed to be the electoral registration officer by the council of the county or county borough specified in column 2 of the Schedule opposite to the name of the constituency.

Signed on the behalf of the Secretary of State

Bridget Prentice

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Constitutional Affairs

23 January 2007

This Order makes fresh provision for the designation of returning officers and acting returning officers in certain constituencies in Wales in consequence of changes made to parliamentary constituencies in Wales by the Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006 (SI 2006/1041).

This Order does not come fully into force for the purposes of parliamentary elections until the next general election is called.

Article 3 designates the sheriff of the preserved county of Mid Glamorgan as returning officer for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney.

Article 4 designates the chairman of Cardiff County Council as returning officer for the borough constituency of Cardiff South and Penarth.

Article 5 and the Schedule to this Order designate the acting returning officers for county constituencies in Wales.