30. —(1) The Minister may provide, by regulations, for the provision, after the conclusion of the counting of votes in an election or a referendum, of statistical information on a specified proportion of the poll concerned, including detailed information on the votes cast and comprised in that specified proportion.

(2) The content, format and extent of the information which may be provided pursuant to those regulations shall be such that the secrecy of the ballot is preserved.

(3) Subject to subsection (2), regulations under this section shall provide for the means by which the information concerned is provided to persons (and the means so provided shall include provision for publication, in a specified manner, of the information to members of the public) and may provide for payment of a reasonable fee in respect of such provision (other than such provision by means of publication).

(4) Notwithstanding anything in regulations under this section, the returning officer or local returning officer concerned may decide not to allow for the provision of information referred to in subsection (1) in respect of any grouping of votes where he or she forms the opinion, whether by reason of the limited number of votes cast in an area or otherwise, that the provision of such detailed information in respect of that grouping of votes would infringe the secrecy of the ballot, and where he or she so decides that information shall, accordingly, not be provided in respect of that grouping of votes.