EU Membership (Audit of Costs and Benefits) Bill (HC Bill 46)

1 Appointment of committee of inquiry

(1) Within two months of the date on which this Act is passed the Chancellor of
the Exchequer must appoint a committee of inquiry to report to Parliament on
the matters set out in section 5.

(2) 5The committee of inquiry shall be called the EU Membership Audit
Commission (“the Commission”).

2 Appointment of Commission

(1) The Chancellor of the Exchequer shall appoint seven members to serve on the
Commission, one of whom shall be appointed as Chairman.

(2) 10In appointing members, the Chancellor of the Exchequer must ensure that the
members are British nationals and—

(a) there is a balance of those in favour and those against the UK’s
continued membership of the EU;

(b) the Chairman is someone who is broadly neutral on the matter; and

(c) 15no member is or has been—

(i) a member of the European Parliament, or

(ii) an employee of the European Commission.

3 Support by the Treasury

The Treasury—

(a) 20shall make available to the UK Commission such administrative and
other support as the Commission reasonably requires to fulfil its
function;

(b) may pay to members of the Commission such remuneration and
expenses as it considers appropriate.

4 Conduct of Commission

Subject to the provisions of this Act the Commission may conduct its
5procedures in such manner as it considers appropriate.

5 Terms of reference

The terms of reference of the Commission shall be to examine the current costs
and benefits of the UK’s membership of the European Union on the existing
terms of membership taking into account the impact of membership on the
10UK’s—

(a) economy (including consideration of public expenditure and receipts
resulting directly from membership);

(b) competitiveness and ability to trade freely (including consideration of
the UK’s restricted ability to negotiate trade agreements and to engage
15in free trade with other countries);

(c) national security and defence (including the UK’s ability to decide
which non-nationals should be allowed to reside in the UK);

(d) burden of regulation;

(e) sovereignty.

6 20Report to Parliament

The Commission shall report to Parliament within twelve months of its
appointment.

7 Expenditure

There shall be payable out of money provided by Parliament any expenditure incurred
25by the Treasury by virtue of this Act.

8 Short title

This Act may be cited as the EU Membership (Audit of Costs and Benefits) Act
2014.