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Establish
a Commission to carry out regular audits of the economic costs
and |
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benefits of the UK’s
membership of the European Union; and for connected |
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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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Committee
of inquiry into costs and benefits of the UK’s membership
of the |
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(1) |
The Chancellor of the Exchequer
must appoint a committee of inquiry to report |
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to him on the matters set
out in section 2— |
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(a) |
within six months of the date
on which this Act is passed, and |
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(b) |
subsequently, every five years. |
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(2) |
The committee of inquiry
shall be called the EU Membership Audit |
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Commission (“the Commission”). |
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(3) |
The Chancellor of the Exchequer
shall appoint seven members to serve on the |
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Commission, one of whom shall
be appointed as chairman. |
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(4) |
In appointing members under
subsection (3), the Chancellor of the Exchequer |
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must seek to ensure that— |
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(a) |
there is a balance of those
in favour and those against the UK’s |
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continued membership of the
EU; |
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(b) |
the chairman is someone who
is broadly neutral on the matter; |
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(i) |
a member of the European
Parliament, or |
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(ii) |
an employee of the European
Commission. |
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(a) |
shall
make available to the Commission such administrative and other
support |
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as
the Commission reasonably requires to fulfill its functions; |
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(b) |
may
pay to members of the Commission such remuneration and allowances
as |
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it
considers appropriate. |
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(6) |
Subject
to the provisions of this section, the Commission may conduct
its |
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proceedings in such manner
as it considers appropriate. |
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The terms of reference of
the Commission shall be to examine the costs and |
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benefits of the UK’s
continued membership of the European Union, taking into |
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account the impact of membership
on the UK’s— |
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(a) |
economy (including consideration
of public expenditure and receipts |
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resulting directly from membership),
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(b) |
national security and defence,
and |
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(c) |
constitutional arrangements. |
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3 |
Report
of the Commission |
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(1) |
The Commission shall report
to the Chancellor within twelve months of its |
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(2) |
The Chancellor of the Exchequer
shall provide a copy of the Commission’s |
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report to the National Audit
Office and invite the views of the Comptroller and |
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(3) |
The Chancellor of the Exchequer
shall lay before each House of Parliament a |
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copy of the Commission’s
report and any report containing the views of the |
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Comptroller and Auditor General.
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(4) |
A Minister of the Crown
shall, as soon as is practicable after the laying of |
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reports under subsection
(3), make a motion in each House of Parliament |
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expressing a view on the
contents of the Commission’s report. |
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There
shall be payable out of money provided by Parliament any expenditure
incurred |
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by
the Treasury by virtue of this Act. |
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This Act may be cited as
the European Union (Audit of Benefits and Costs of |
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