European Union (Referendum) Bill — Clause 3 — Deadline for Electoral Commission Recommendations on EU Referendum Rules — 29 Nov 2013 at 12:30

The majority of MPs voted not to set a deadline of 1 March 2015 for the Electoral Commission to publish its recommendations for rules for a referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union.

Clause 3 subsection 1 in the bill as introduced^[1] stated:

• The Electoral Commission shall publish a report setting out its recommendations for the rules in accordance with which the referendum is to be conducted, further provisions about the referendum and the application to the referendum of provisions relevant to elections.

Mike Gapes MP moved the amendment^[2] which was the subject of this division, it stated:

• after ‘report’, insert ‘by 1 March 2015’.

Mr Gapes explained the reasoning behind his rejected proposal^[3]

• If the referendum is to be conducted properly, we cannot allow the Electoral Commission’s report to be published so close to the date on which it takes place that the commission’s proposals cannot be properly considered by the Government and then implemented. We must specify a date in order to provide a clear deadline for the commission, which does not always act in a timely manner.

The amendment was number 52 on the amendment sheet^[4].

• [1] European Union (Referendum) Bill as introduced
• [2] Mike Gapes MP (Ilford South, Labour), House of Commons, 29 November 2013
• [3] Mike Gapes MP (Ilford South, Labour), House of Commons, 29 November 2013
• [4] Amendment sheet for consideration of the European Union (Referendum) Bill on 29 November 2013
• [5] Parliament's webpage on the European Union (Referendum) Bill

Debate in Parliament | Source |