Referendum (European Union) Bill (HL Bill 28)
A
BILL
TO
Make provision for the holding of a referendum in the United Kingdom on the
United Kingdom’s continued membership of the European Union.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1 Referendum on continued membership of the European Union
(1)
On the date of the next general election, a referendum shall be held on the
United Kingdom’s continued membership of the European Union.
(2)
The proposition to be voted on in the referendum and the front of the ballot
5papers to be used for that purpose shall be in the form set out in the Schedule.
(3)
Those entitled to vote in the referendum shall be the persons who, on the date
of the referendum, would be entitled to vote as electors at a parliamentary
election in a constituency in the United Kingdom.
But an alteration in a register of electors under section 11(1) or (2) or 57 of the
10Representation of the People Act 1983 (correction of registers and registration
appeals) shall not have effect for the purposes of the referendum unless it is
made before the start of the periods of eleven days ending with the date of the
referendum.
(4)
The Secretary of State shall appoint a Chief Counting Officer for the United
15Kingdom.
(5)
The Chief Counting Officer shall appoint a counting officer for each
parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom.
(6) Each counting officer shall—
(a)
conduct the counting of votes cast in the area for which he is appointed
20in accordance with provisions made by order by the Secretary of State,
and
(b)
certify the number of ballot papers counted by him and the number of
votes cast for each proposition.
(7) The Chief Counting Officer shall certify the total of—
Referendum (European Union) BillPage 2
(a) the ballot papers counted, and
(b) the votes cast for each proposition,
for the whole of the United Kingdom.
(8)
An order made under subsection (6)(a) shall be made by statutory instrument
5and a draft must be laid before and approved by a resolution of both Houses
of Parliament.
2 Exclusion of legal proceedings
No court shall entertain any proceedings for questioning the number of ballot
papers counted or votes cast as certified by a Chief Counting Officer or
10counting officer appointed in accordance with section or 1(4) or (5).
3 Expenditure
(1)
There shall be charged on and paid out of the Consolidated Fund any
expenditure which is to be charged on and paid out of that fund by virtue of
any enactment applied under this Act or any orders under this Act.
(2) 15Any expenditure of a Minister of the Crown—
(a) in connection with a referendum held by virtue of this Act, or
(b) in preparation for withdrawal from the European Union,
shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament.
4 Short title
20This Act may be cited as the Referendum (European Union) Act 2012.
Referendum (European Union) BillPage 3
Section 1(2)
Schedule Form of First Ballot Paper
Parliament has decided to consult people in the United Kingdom on proposals for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the 5European Union: |
Put a cross (X) in the appropriate box |
I AGREE THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM SHOULD LEAVE THE EUROPEAN UNION |
10OR |
I DO NOT AGREE THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM SHOULD LEAVE THE EUROPEAN UNION |