5.—(1) This regulation applies to any material which—
(a)provides general information about the referendum,
(b)deals with any of the issues raised by the question to be asked in the referendum, or
(c)puts any arguments for or against a particular answer to that question.
(2) No material to which this regulation applies is to be published by or on behalf of a local authority during the period of 28 days ending with the date of the poll at the referendum.
(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to—
(a)material made available to persons in response to specific requests for information or to persons specifically seeking access to it,
(b)the publication of information relating to the holding of the poll at the referendum, or
(c)the publication of press notices containing factual information where the sole purpose of the publication is to refute or correct any inaccuracy in material published by a person other than the local authority.
(4) In this regulation “publish” means make available to the public at large, or to any section of the public, in whatever form and by whatever means (including, in particular, by inclusion in any programme included in a programme service within the meaning of the Broadcasting Act 1990(1)); and “publication” is to be construed accordingly.
1990 c. 42. Section 201, containing the definition of programme service, was amended by section 360 of and Schedule 19 to the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21).