Overview

This bill proposes the creation of a Political Opinion Polling Regulation Authority to oversee and regulate political opinion polls across the UK. The aim is to ensure accuracy and fairness in polling, particularly in the run-up to elections and referendums.

Description

The bill establishes a Political Opinion Polling Regulation Authority (the Authority). This body will be responsible for creating rules governing political opinion polling, including approved sampling methods, question wording guidance, and the timing of poll publication. The Authority's management board will include representatives from polling organizations, political parties, and the media. The Secretary of State will be responsible for establishing the Authority and covering its expenses. The rules created by the Authority will be subject to parliamentary approval. Breaching these rules will result in a specified penalty.

Key Aspects:

• Establishes a new regulatory body.
• Sets rules for sampling methods and question wording.
• Controls publication timing of polls.
• Specifies penalties for rule violations.

Government Spending

The bill mandates that the Secretary of State will pay the Authority's expenses, remuneration, and allowances from money provided by Parliament. The exact cost is not specified in the bill, but it will involve additional government spending.

Groups Affected

• Polling organizations: Subject to new regulations and potential penalties for non-compliance.
• Political parties: Represented on the Authority's board and potentially affected by rules regarding poll publication timing.
• Media organizations: Represented on the Authority's board and affected by regulations on poll publication.
• The public: Potentially affected by changes in the accuracy and timing of information provided by political opinion polls.

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