House of Commons Amendments

Session 2015 - 16
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

Notices of Amendments: 12 June 2015
15

European Union Referendum Bill, continued

(ii)
(except where otherwise provided by an applied enactment)

qualifying address, and

(iii)
voter number.

(3)
Subsection (2) is subject to section 9B of the 1983 Representation of the People

Act (anonymous registration).

(4)
A person‘s qualifying address is the address in respect of which the person is

entitled to be registered in the register.

(5)
A person‘s voter number is such number (with or without any letters) as is for the

time being allocated by the registration officer to the person for the purposes of

the register.

(6)
A person is entitled to be registered in the register of young voters for any area if,

on the relevant date, the person—

(a)
is not registered in the register of local government electors for the area,

(b)
meets the requirements (apart from any requirement as to age) for

registration in the register of local government electors for the area, and

(c)
has attained the age of 16, or will attain that age on or before the date on

which the poll at an independence referendum is to be held.

(7)
In the case of a person who has not yet attained the age of 16—

(a)
the person‘s entry in the register must state the date on which the person

will attain the age of 16, and

(b)
until that date, the person is not, by virtue of the entry, to be taken to be

a voter for the purposes of any independence referendum other than one

the date of the poll at which is on or after that date.

(8)
Where a person to whom subsection (7) applies has an anonymous entry in the

register, the references in that subsection to the person’s entry in the register are

to be read as references to the person‘s entry in the record of anonymous entries.

(9)
In this section, “the relevant date” mean the date on which an application for

registration in the register of young voters is made (or the date on which such an

application is treated as made by virtue of section 10A(2) of the 1983 Act).”

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment extends the franchise in the referendum to 16 and 17 year olds.

clauses 4 and 6 to 11; remaining new clauses; remaining new schedules;

remaining proceedings on the bill

John McDonnell

48


Clause  4,  page  2,  line  30,  at end insert—

“(aa)
the provision made under subsection (1)(a) shall include making arrangements to

allow all those entitled to vote in the referendum to vote by electronic means.”

Member’s explanatory statement

The amendment would provide for electronic voting in the referendum.

Notices of Amendments: 12 June 2015
16

European Union Referendum Bill, continued

Ms Harriet Harman

Hilary Benn

Ms Rosie Winterton

Mr Pat McFadden

Heidi Alexander

3

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  39,  leave out subsection (2) and insert—

“(2)
The referendum shall not be held on the same day as:

(a)
elections to the Scottish Parliament;

(b)
elections to the National Assembly for Wales;

(c)
elections for the Mayor of London; or

(d)
local authority elections”.

Member’s explanatory statement

The amendment would prevent the referendum being held on the same day as Scottish Parliament,

National Assembly for Wales, London mayoral or local authority elections.

Sir William Cash

Mr Owen Patterson

Mr Steve Baker

Mr Nigel Dodds

Kelvin Hopkins

Kate Hoey

Graham Stringer

Mr Bernard Jenkin

John Redwood

Mr Nigel Evans

Dr Liam Fox

Mr Richard Bacon

Jim Shannon

Mr David Nuttall

Mr Peter Bone

Mr Christopher Chope

Mr David Burrowes

Richard Drax

Mr Douglas Carswell

7

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  39,  leave out subsection (2) and insert—

“(2)
The referendum shall not be held on the same day as elections, other than by-

elections, that are scheduled to take place for:

(a)
the Scottish Parliament;

(b)
the National Assembly for Wales;

(c)
the Northern Ireland Assembly;

(d)
the Gibraltar Parliament;

(e)
Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales;

(f)
the London Assembly and Mayor of London; or

(g)
local authorities and mayors in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar.”

Member’s explanatory statement

The purpose of the amendment is to ensure that the referendum is not held on the same day as other

polls.

Notices of Amendments: 12 June 2015
17

European Union Referendum Bill, continued

Sir William Cash

Mr Owen Patterson

Mr Steve Baker

Mr Nigel Dodds

Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg

Kelvin Hopkins

Kate Hoey

Graham Stringer

Mr Bernard Jenkin

John Redwood

Mr Nigel Evans

Mr Richard Bacon

Jim Shannon

Mr David Nuttall

Mr Peter Bone

Mr Christopher Chope

Mr David Burrowes

Richard Drax

8

Clause  6,  page  3,  line  37,  at end add—

“(5)
Regulations made under this Act or the 2000 Act in respect of the referendum

must be made and come into force not less than six months before the start of the

referendum period.”

Member’s explanatory statement

The purpose of the amendment is to ensure the legislative framework for the referendum is clear

at least six months before it is required to be implemented or complied with.

Stephen Phillips

13

Clause  8,  page  4,  line  15,  at end insert—

““Commonwealth citizens” does not include citizens of any country which

has terminated its membership of the Commonwealth or which has been

wholly or partly suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth by

the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group.”

Sir William Cash

Mr Owen Patterson

Mr Steve Baker

Mr Nigel Dodds

Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg

Kelvin Hopkins

Kate Hoey

Graham Stringer

Mr Bernard Jenkin

John Redwood

Mr Nigel Evans

Dr Liam Fox

Mr Richard Bacon

Jim Shannon

Mr David Nuttall

Mr Peter Bone

Mr Christopher Chope

Mr David Burrowes

Richard Drax

Mr Douglas Carswell

NC1

To move the following Clause—


“Impartiality of broadcasters

(1)
Notwithstanding any enactment or legal instrument, before the start of the

referendum period the Secretary of State shall by regulations make provision to

ensure the impartiality of broadcasters during the referendum period.

Notices of Amendments: 12 June 2015
18

European Union Referendum Bill, continued

(2)
Regulations made under this section must include provision for the appointment

by the Secretary of State of a referendum broadcasting adjudicator.

(3)
Regulations made under this section must require the referendum broadcasting

adjudicator

(a)
to draw up and publish guidance applicable to the referendum to ensure

the impartiality of broadcasters during the referendum period,

notwithstanding any relevant guidance currently in force or in draft; and

(b)
to make arrangements by which an allegations of breach of the guidance

on impartiality can be referred to and determined by the adjudicator and

where an allegation, in the adjudicator’s view, is vexatious or frivolous

to dismiss the allegation.

(4)
Guidance published under subsection (3)(a) shall apply to—

(a)
the holder of a licence under the Broadcasting Act 1990 or 1996 and

(b)
the British Broadcasting Corporation.

(5)
Regulations made under this section shall require the referendum broadcasting

adjudicator within one day of receipt of an allegation that a broadcaster has

breached the guidance on impartiality to determine whether the guidance has

been breached and publish its determination and, where a breach has taken place,

to require the broadcaster to remedy the breach within one day.

(6)
Regulations made under this section are to be made by statutory instrument which

is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Member’s explanatory statement

The intention of this amendment is to ensure impartiality of television and radio broadcasters

during the referendum campaign and to allow for swift adjudication where an allegation of bias is

made.

ORDER OF THE HOUSE [9 June 2015]

That the following provisions shall apply to the European Union Referendum Bill:

Committal

1.
The Bill shall be committed to a Committee of the whole House.

Proceedings in Committee

2.
Proceedings in Committee of the whole House shall be taken in two days.

3.
The proceedings shall be taken on the days shown in the first column of the

following Table and in the order so shown.

4.
The proceedings shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a

conclusion at the times specified in the second column of the Table.

      TABLE

Proceedings
Time for conclusion of proceedings

First day

Clause 1; new Clauses and new
Three hours after the

Schedules relating to the subject
commencement of proceedings on

matter of Clause 1
the Bill on the first day.

Clause 3; Schedules 1 to 3; new
The moment of interruption on the

Clauses and new Schedules relating
first day

to the subject matter of Clause 3 and

Schedules 1 to 3

Second day

Clause 2; new Clauses and new
Four hours after the commencement

Schedules relating to the subject
of proceedings on the Bill on the

matter of Clause 2; Clause 5; new
second day

Clauses and new Schedules relating

to the subject matter of Clause 5

Clauses 4 and 6 to 11; remaining
The moment of interruption on the

new Clauses; remaining new
second day

Schedules; remaining proceedings

on the Bill

Notices of Amendments: 12 June 2015
19

European Union Referendum Bill, continued

Consideration and Third Reading

5.
Any proceedings on Consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded)

be brought to a conclusion one hour before the moment of interruption on the

day on which those proceedings are commenced.

6.
Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be

brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption on that day.

Programming committee

7.
Standing Order No 83B (Programming committees) shall not apply to

proceedings in Committee of the whole House, to any proceedings on

Consideration or to proceedings on Third Reading.

8.
Any other proceedings on the Bill (including any proceedings on

consideration of Lords Amendments or on any further messages from the

Lords) may be programmed.



© Parliamentary copyright	Revised 12 June 2015