Overview

This bill mandates a referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union, to be held before December 31st, 2017. The referendum will ask voters whether the UK should remain a member of the EU. The bill outlines the process for conducting the referendum, including voter eligibility and the legal framework.

Description

The bill establishes a legally binding referendum on the UK's EU membership.

Referendum Details:

• The referendum must take place before December 31, 2017, with the exact date set by the Secretary of State by order before December 31, 2016.
• The question posed will be: "Do you think that the United Kingdom should be a member of the European Union?"
• The Electoral Commission will provide recommendations on the referendum's conduct, and the Secretary of State will issue orders based on these recommendations, subject to parliamentary approval.

Voter Eligibility:

• Those eligible to vote include those entitled to vote in UK parliamentary elections.
• Peers are also eligible to vote.
• Commonwealth citizens eligible to vote in Gibraltar's European Parliament elections are also included.

Gibraltar:

• The bill extends the referendum to Gibraltar.
• Orders made under the bill can establish criminal offences in Gibraltar related to the referendum conduct.
• The bill ensures that Gibraltar's legislative capacity to make laws regarding the referendum is not affected.

Government Spending

The bill states that any government expenditure incurred as a consequence of this act, and any increase in expenditure under other acts attributable to this Act, will be met from public funds. No specific figures are provided.

Groups Affected

The following groups will be affected by this bill:

• UK Citizens: They will be given the opportunity to vote on the UK's membership of the EU.
• Gibraltar Citizens: They will also be included in the referendum.
• The Electoral Commission: Responsible for providing recommendations on the referendum process.
• The UK Government: Responsible for implementing and funding the referendum.
• Parliament: Must approve orders relating to the referendum's conduct and date.

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