Overview

This bill mandates a UK-wide referendum on continued EU membership on October 15th, 2012. The bill details the referendum's procedures, including voter eligibility, vote counting, and legal challenges. It also addresses the funding of the referendum and preparations for potential EU withdrawal.

Description

This bill sets out the legal framework for a referendum on the UK's continued membership of the European Union. Key aspects include:

• Referendum Date: The referendum is scheduled for October 15th, 2012.
• Question: Voters will answer the question: "I AGREE THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM SHOULD REMAIN A MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION" (Yes/No).
• Voter Eligibility: Those eligible are registered voters who would be entitled to vote in a UK parliamentary election on the referendum date.
• Vote Counting: A Chief Counting Officer and constituency counting officers will oversee the process, with their certifications of the results being final and not subject to legal challenge.
• Legal Challenges: The bill explicitly prevents legal challenges to the official vote counts.

Government Spending

The bill states that all expenditure related to the referendum and preparations for potential EU withdrawal will be charged to the Consolidated Fund or paid out of money provided by Parliament. Specific figures are not included in the provided text.

Groups Affected

This bill affects:

• UK Voters: They will have the right to vote in the referendum.
• Government Departments: Responsible for organizing and funding the referendum.
• Electoral Officials: Involved in the administration and counting of votes.
• Political Parties and Campaign Groups: They will participate in the campaign leading up to the referendum.

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