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Make
provision for a referendum on any Treaty establishing a Constitution
for |
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the European Union; and for
connected purposes. |
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Be
it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty,
by and with the advice and |
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consent of the Lords Spiritual
and Temporal, and Commons, in this present |
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Parliament assembled, and
by the authority of the same, as follows:— |
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1 |
Referendum
on the proposed Constitution for the European Union |
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(1) |
No treaty establishing a
Constitution for the European Union (”the Treaty”)
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shall be ratified unless
its provisions have been agreed to in a referendum. |
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(2) |
A referendum shall be held
within six months of the adoption of the Treaty. |
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(1) |
The question to be asked
in a referendum held in pursuance of section 1 is: |
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“Should
the United Kingdom be bound by the Treaty establishing a |
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Constitution for the European
Union?” |
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(2) |
The following statement must
precede the question on the ballot paper: |
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“Parliament
has decided that the Government should not ratify the Treaty |
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establishing a Constitution
for the European Union unless the people of the |
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United Kingdom have agreed
in a referendum that it should do so.” |
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3 |
Arrangements
for the referendum |
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(1) |
Those entitled to vote in
the referendum shall be persons who, on the date of |
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the referendum, would be
entitled to vote as electors in European |
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(2) |
The Secretary of State shall
appoint a Chief Counting Officer. |
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(3) |
The Chief Counting Officer
shall appoint a counting officer for each |
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parliamentary constituency. |
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(4) |
Each
counting officer shall— |
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(a) |
conduct the counting of votes
cast in the area for which he is appointed |
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in accordance with regulations,
and |
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(b) |
certify the number of votes
cast for and against the proposition. |
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(5) |
The Chief Counting Officer
shall certify the total of— |
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(a) |
the ballot papers counted,
and |
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(b) |
the votes cast for each proposition, |
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for
the whole of the United Kingdom. |
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(6) |
The Electoral Commission
shall publish a report setting out when and how the |
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referendum shall be conducted,
including what information is to be provided |
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to those entitled to vote. |
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(7) |
The conduct of the referendum
shall follow as closely as possible the |
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provisions of the Representation
of the People Acts 1983 to 1993. |
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(8) |
The Secretary of State shall
give effect to the provisions contained in a report of |
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the Electoral Commission
under subsection (6) by means of regulations. |
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(9) |
Regulations under this section
shall be made by statutory instrument which |
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shall be subject to approval
by each House of Parliament. |
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(10) |
The day chosen for holding
the referendum shall be a public holiday. |
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There
shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament— |
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(a) |
any
expenditure of the Secretary of State in consequence of this Act;
and |
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(b) |
any
increase attributable to this Act in the sums which under any
other Act |
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are
payable out of money so provided. |
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This Act may be cited as the Constitution
for the European Union |
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