Scotland Bill

Insert the following new Clause—

“Reserved matters: referendum dispensation

(1) Schedule 5 to the 1998 Act (reserved matters) is amended as follows.

(2) After paragraph 5, insert—

“(6) Paragraph 1 does not reserve provision for a referendum about whether Scotland should become independent of the rest of the United Kingdom provided that the legislation to provide for such a referendum requires that it—

(a) is held throughout Scotland within 12 months of the date on which this Bill receives Royal Assent;

(b) uses on its ballot paper a question proposed by the Electoral Commission;

(c) is held in accordance with Part VII (Referendums) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, except that—

(i) references in the Act to Parliament shall be deemed to be references to the Scottish Parliament,

(ii) references in the Act to the Secretary of State shall be deemed to be references to the First Minister, and

(iii) section 125(2)(b) shall include any Scottish Minister.””