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European Union Referendum Act 2015

2015 c. 36 · Enacted 17 December 2015 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 7 February 2023.

An Act to make provision for the holding of a referendum in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar on whether the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union.

[17th December 2015]

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:—C1

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act functions transferred (9.11.2016) by The Transfer of Functions (Elections, Referendums, Third Sector and Information) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/997), arts. 1(2), 3(1), Sch. 1(w) (with arts. 3(2), 6, 12)

Contents

  1. The referendum
  2. 1The referendum
  3. 2Entitlement to vote in the referendum
  4. 3Further provision about the referendum
  5. 4Conduct regulations, etc
  6. 5Gibraltar
  7. 6Duty to publish information on outcome of negotiations between member States
  8. 7Duty to publish information about membership of the European Union etc
  9. 8Power to modify section 125 of the 2000 Act
  10. Supplemental
  11. 9Regulations
  12. 10Financial provisions
  13. 11Definitions
  14. Final provisions
  15. 12Extent
  16. 13Commencement
  17. 14Short title
  18. Schedule 1: CAMPAIGNING AND FINANCIAL CONTROLS
  19. The referendum period
  20. 1Paragraph 1
  21. Permitted participants
  22. 2Paragraph 2
  23. Notifications and declarations for purpose of becoming permitted participant
  24. 3Paragraph 3
  25. Registration under section 107 of the 2000 Act
  26. 4Paragraph 4
  27. Responsible person
  28. 5Paragraph 5
  29. Person may not be responsible for compliance for two or more permitted participants
  30. 6Paragraph 6
  31. Unincorporated associations with offensive etc names
  32. 7Paragraph 7
  33. 8Paragraph 8
  34. Designation of organisations: designation of one organisation only
  35. 9Paragraph 9
  36. 10Paragraph 10
  37. 11Paragraph 11
  38. Applying to become a designated organisation: period for making application
  39. 12Paragraph 12
  40. Grants to designated organisations may be paid in instalments
  41. 13Paragraph 13
  42. Assistance available to designated organisations
  43. 14Paragraph 14
  44. Referendum agents
  45. 15Paragraph 15
  46. 16Paragraph 16
  47. 17Paragraph 17
  48. Referendum expenses: definition
  49. 18Paragraph 18
  50. 19Paragraph 19
  51. 20Paragraph 20
  52. Creditors' rights
  53. 21Paragraph 21
  54. Expenses incurred by persons acting in concert
  55. 22Paragraph 22
  56. 23Paragraph 23
  57. Restriction on making claims in respect of referendum expenses
  58. 24Paragraph 24
  59. Limits on referendum expenses by permitted participants
  60. 25Paragraph 25
  61. Permissible donors: donations to registered parties other than minor parties
  62. 26Paragraph 26
  63. 27Paragraph 27
  64. Financial limit on certain donations etc to registered parties other than minor parties
  65. 28Paragraph 28
  66. Permissible donors: donations to minor parties and to persons who are not parties
  67. 29Paragraph 29
  68. 30Paragraph 30
  69. 31Paragraph 31
  70. Acceptance or return of donations
  71. 32Paragraph 32
  72. Evasion of restrictions on donations
  73. 33Paragraph 33
  74. Reporting of donations from permissible donors
  75. 34Paragraph 34
  76. Returns in respect of referendum expenses and donations
  77. 35Paragraph 35
  78. Declaration of responsible person as to donations
  79. 36Paragraph 36
  80. Declaration where no referendum expenses incurred in referendum period
  81. 37Paragraph 37
  82. Application to Gibraltar public bodies of restriction on publication of promotional material
  83. 38Paragraph 38
  84. Reporting of donations during referendum period
  85. 39Paragraph 39
  86. Declaration of responsible person as to donation reports under paragraph 39
  87. 40Paragraph 40
  88. Public inspection of donation reports under paragraph 39
  89. 41Paragraph 41
  90. 42Paragraph 42
  91. Referendum campaign broadcasts
  92. 43Paragraph 43
  93. Enforcement
  94. 44Paragraph 44
  95. Interpretation
  96. 45Paragraph 45
  97. Schedule 2: CONTROL OF LOANS ETC TO PERMITTED PARTICIPANTS
  98. Control of loans etc to permitted participants
  99. 1Paragraph 1
  100. Further modifications of 2000 Act relating to loans etc
  101. 2Paragraph 2
  102. Transactions entered into before commencement: operation of paragraphs 1 and 2
  103. 3Paragraph 3
  104. 4Paragraph 4
  105. Reporting of regulated transactions during referendum period
  106. 5Paragraph 5
  107. Declaration of responsible person as to reports under paragraph 5
  108. 6Paragraph 6
  109. Public inspection of reports under paragraph 5
  110. 7Paragraph 7
  111. 8Paragraph 8
  112. Enforcement
  113. 9Paragraph 9
  114. Persons with whom certain registered parties may enter into loan agreements etc
  115. 10Paragraph 10
  116. 11Paragraph 11
  117. 12Paragraph 12
  118. 13Paragraph 13
  119. Schedule 3: FURTHER PROVISION ABOUT THE REFERENDUM
  120. Interpretation
  121. 1Paragraph 1
  122. Appointment of Chief Counting Officer
  123. 2Paragraph 2
  124. Counting officers
  125. 3Paragraph 3
  126. 4Paragraph 4
  127. Regional Counting Officers
  128. 5Paragraph 5
  129. Assistance to counting officers etc
  130. 6Paragraph 6
  131. General duties of counting officers etc
  132. 7Paragraph 7
  133. Appointment of deputies and clerks
  134. 8Paragraph 8
  135. Counting officers etc: correction of procedural errors
  136. 9Paragraph 9
  137. Public notices
  138. 10Paragraph 10
  139. Role of Electoral Commission
  140. 11Paragraph 11
  141. Encouraging participation
  142. 12Paragraph 12
  143. Supply and use of register of electors
  144. 13Paragraph 13
  145. 14Paragraph 14
  146. 15Paragraph 15
  147. Payments to counting officers and Regional Counting Officers
  148. 16Paragraph 16
  149. Taxation of counting officer's or Regional Counting Officer's account
  150. 17Paragraph 17
  151. Electoral Commission accounts
  152. 18Paragraph 18
  153. Restriction on challenge to referendum result
  154. 19Paragraph 19