Scottish Independence Referendum Bill [AS INTRODUCED]

CONTENTS Section

1

Referendum Referendum on Scottish independence Franchise

2

Those who are entitled to vote Voting etc.

3

Provision about voting etc. Conduct

4 5 6 7 8 9

Chief Counting Officer Other counting officers Functions of the Chief Counting Officer and other counting officers Correction of procedural errors Expenses of counting officers Conduct rules Campaign

10 11 12 13 14 15

Campaign rules Monitoring and securing compliance with the campaign rules Inspection of Electoral Commission’s registers etc. Campaign rules: general offences Campaign offences: summary proceedings Duty of court to report convictions to the Electoral Commission Referendum agents

16

Referendum agents

17 18 19 20

Observers Attendance of Electoral Commission at proceedings and observation of working practices Accredited observers: individuals Accredited observers: organisations Attendance and conduct of accredited observers

21 22 23

Information for voters Guidance Advice

Information, guidance and advice

SP Bill 25

Session 4 (2013)

ii

Scottish Independence Referendum Bill

24

Report on referendum Report on the conduct of the referendum

25 26 27

Electoral Commission: administrative provision Reimbursement of Commission’s costs Estimates of expenditure Maladministration

28 29

Offences Offences by bodies corporate etc.

30

Power to make supplementary etc. provision and modifications Power to make supplementary etc. provision and modifications

31

Legal proceedings Restriction on legal challenge to referendum result

Offences

Final provisions 32 33 34

Interpretation Commencement Short title __________

Schedule 1 —Form of ballot paper Schedule 2 —Further provision about voting in the referendum Part 1 —Manner of voting Part 2 —Registration Part 3 —Postal voting: issue and receipt of ballot papers Part 4 —Supply of Polling List etc. Part 5 —Supply of marked Polling List etc. Schedule 3 —Conduct rules Schedule 4 —Campaign rules Part 1 —Interpretation Part 2 —Permitted participants and designated organisations Part 3 —Referendum expenses Part 4 —Publications Part 5 —Control of donations Part 6 —Control of loans and credit Schedule 5 —Campaign rules: investigatory powers of the Electoral Commission Schedule 6 —Campaign rules: civil sanctions Part 1 —Fixed monetary penalties Part 2 —Discretionary requirements Part 3 —Stop notices Part 4 —Enforcement undertakings Part 5 —Power to make supplementary provision etc. by order Part 6 —General and supplemental Part 7 —Interpretation Schedule 7 —Offences Schedule 8 —Interpretation

Scottish Independence Referendum Bill

1

ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS Explanatory Notes, together with other accompanying documents, are printed separately as SP Bill 25-EN. A Policy Memorandum is printed separately as SP Bill 25-PM.

Scottish Independence Referendum Bill [AS INTRODUCED]

An Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provision, in accordance with paragraph 5A of Part 1 of Schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998, for the holding of a referendum in Scotland on a question about the independence of Scotland. Referendum 5

1

Referendum on Scottish independence (1)

A referendum is to be held in Scotland on a question about the independence of Scotland.

(2)

The question is— ―Should Scotland be an independent country?‖.

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(3)

The ballot paper to be used for the purpose of the referendum is to be printed— (a) in the form set out in schedule 1, and (b) according to the d