Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013

12 Monitoring and securing compliance with the campaign rules

(1) The Electoral Commission must—

(a) monitor compliance with the restrictions and other requirements imposed by schedule 4, and

(b) take such steps as they consider appropriate with a view to securing compliance with those restrictions and requirements.

(2) The Electoral Commission may prepare and publish guidance setting out, in relation to any restriction or requirement imposed by schedule 4, their opinion on any of the following matters—

(a) what it is necessary, or is sufficient, to do (or avoid doing) in order to comply with the restriction or requirement,

(b) what it is desirable to do (or avoid doing) in view of the purpose of the restriction or requirement.

(3) Subsection (2) does not affect the generality of section 24(4).

(4) Schedule 5 makes provision about the investigatory powers of the Electoral Commission for the purpose of subsection (1).

(5) Schedule 6 makes provision for civil sanctions in relation to—

(a) the commission of campaign offences,

(b) the failure to comply with certain requirements imposed by schedule 4.

(6) In this section, “restriction” includes a prohibition.