Filling vacant European Parliament seats in Northern Ireland

(1) In section 5 of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (c. 24) (filling vacant seats), after subsection (3) there is inserted—

   “(4) As regards a seat in Northern Ireland, the regulations may, in specified circumstances, require it to be filled as follows—

      (a) where the previous MEP stood in the name of a registered party when elected (or most recently elected), by a person nominated by the nominating              officer of that party;

      (b) where the previous MEP stood in the names of two or more registered parties when elected (or most recently elected), by a person jointly nominated           by the nominating officers of those parties;

      (c) where paragraph (a) or (b) does not apply but the previous MEP gave a notice in accordance with regulations under this Act naming one or more                  persons as substitutes, by a person so named.

   (5) In subsection (4)— “nominating officer”, in relation to a registered party, means the person registered as its nominating officer under the Political             Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 in the Northern Ireland register (within the meaning of that Act); “registered party” means a party                   registered    under that Act in that register; “the previous MEP”, in relation to a vacancy, means the person who was the MEP immediately before the             vacancy arose.”

(2) Regulations containing provision made by virtue of this section may specify that the provision has effect in relation to any seat that is vacant at the time the provision comes into force and in respect of which notice of a by-election has not been published at that time.