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| Assistance for designated organisations |
Designation of organisations to whom assistance is available. |
101. - (1) The Commission may, in respect of any referendum to which this Part applies, designate permitted participants as organisations to whom assistance is available in accordance with section 103. |
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(2) Where there are only two possible outcomes in the case of a referendum to which this Part applies, the Commission- |
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(a) may, in relation to each of those outcomes, designate one permitted participant as representing those campaigning for the outcome in question; but |
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(b) otherwise shall not make any designation in respect of the referendum. |
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(3) Where there are more than two possible outcomes in the case of a referendum to which this Part applies, the Secretary of State may, after consulting the Commission, by order specify the possible outcomes in relation to which permitted participants may be designated in accordance with subsection (4). |
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(4) In such a case the Commission- |
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(a) may, in relation to each of two or more outcomes specified in any such order, designate one permitted participant as representing those campaigning for the outcome in question; but |
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(b) otherwise shall not make any designation in respect of the referendum. |
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(5) In this section "outcome" has the same meaning as in section 99. |
Applications for designation under section 101. |
102. - (1) A permitted participant seeking to be designated under section 101 must make an application for the purpose to the Commission. |
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(2) An application for designation must- |
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(a) be accompanied by information or statements designed to show that the applicant adequately represents those campaigning for the outcome at the referendum in relation to which the applicant seeks to be designated; and |
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(b) be made within the period of 28 days beginning with the first day of the referendum period. |
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(3) Where an application for designation has been made to the Commission in accordance with this section, the application must be determined by the Commission within the period of 14 days beginning with the day after the end of the period of 28 days mentioned in subsection (2)(b). |
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(4) If there is only one application in relation to a particular outcome at the referendum, the Commission shall designate the applicant unless- |
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(a) they are not satisfied that the applicant adequately represents those campaigning for that outcome; or |
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(b) they are prevented from making any designation by virtue of section 101(2)(b) or (4)(b). |
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(5) If there is more than one application in relation to a particular outcome at the referendum, the Commission shall designate whichever of the applicants appears to them to represent to the greatest extent those campaigning for that outcome unless- |
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(a) they are not satisfied that any of the applicants adequately represents those campaigning for that outcome; or |
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(b) they are prevented from making any designation by virtue of section 101(2)(b) or (4)(b). |
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(6) The Secretary of State may, in the case of any referendum to which this Part applies, by order provide for this section to have effect as if each, or either, of the periods of 28 and 14 days referred to in subsections (2) and (3) was instead such shorter or longer period as is specified in the order. |
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(7) In this section, in relation to a referendum, any reference to designation is to designation in respect of the referendum under section 101. |
Assistance available to designated organisations. |
103. - (1) Where the Commission have made any designations under section 101 in respect of a referendum, assistance shall be available to the designated organisations in accordance with this section. |
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(2) The Commission shall make to each designated organisation a grant of the same amount, which shall be an amount not exceeding £600,000 determined by the Commission. |
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(3) A grant under subsection (2) may be made subject to such conditions as the Commission consider appropriate. |
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(4) Each designated organisation (or, as the case may be, persons authorised by the organisation) shall have the rights conferred by or by virtue of Schedule 11, which makes provision as to- |
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(a) the sending of referendum addresses free of charge; |
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(b) the use of rooms free of charge for holding public meetings; and |
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(c) referendum campaign broadcasts. |
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(5) In this section and Schedule 11 "designated organisation", in relation to a referendum, means a person or body designated by the Commission under section 101 in respect of that referendum. |