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(1)The Commission may, in accordance with a scheme prepared by them for the purposes of this section, provide assistance for existing parties with a view to helping them to meet, or to reducing, the expenses falling to be initially incurred by them in order to comply with Parts III and IV.
(2)The assistance which may be so provided to an existing party may take the form of-
(a)a grant to the party, or
(b)the provision of non-financial benefits to the party (such as the provision of computer software free of charge),
or both, as the scheme may determine.
(3)The scheme may provide for an existing party's entitlement to assistance under this section to depend on the Commission's being satisfied that the expenses falling to be incurred by the party as mentioned in subsection (1) exceed an amount specified in the scheme.
(4)Any grant under this section may be made subject to such conditions as the Commission consider appropriate.
(5)The total expenditure incurred by the Commission in providing assistance under this section (whether by grants or otherwise) shall not exceed £700,000.
(6)The Commission shall publish the scheme in such manner as they consider appropriate.
(7)In this section "existing party" means any party registered under the [1998 c. 48.] Registration of Political Parties Act 1998 at the commencement of this section.