Part VII

Referendums
Chapter III

Controls on Publications

Restriction on publication etc. of promotional material by central and local government etc
125
1
This section applies to any material which—
a
provides general information about a referendum to which this Part applies;
b
deals with any of the issues raised by any question on which such a referendum is being held;
c
puts any arguments for or against any particular answer to any such question; or
d
is designed to encourage voting at such a referendum.
2
Subject to subsection (3), no material to which this section applies shall be published during the relevant period by or on behalf of—
a
any Minister of the Crown, government department or local authority; or
b
any other person or body whose expenses are defrayed wholly or mainly out of public funds or by any local authority.
3
Subsection (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
anything done by or on behalf of the Commission or a person or body designated under section 108 (designation of organisations to whom assistance is available);
c
the publication of information relating to the holding of the poll; or
d
the issue of press notices;
and subsection (2)(b) shall not be taken as applying to the British Broadcasting Corporation or Sianel Pedwar Cymru.
4
In this section—
a
“publish” means make available to the public at large, or any section of the public, in whatever form and by whatever means (and “publication” shall be construed accordingly);
b
“the relevant period”, in relation to a referendum, means the period of 28 days ending with the date of the poll.