The Secretary of State may by order cause a referendum to be held in a region specified in the order about the establishment of an elected assembly for that region.

The date of the referendum must be specified in the order.

But the Secretary of State must not make an order under subsection (1) unless each of the following two conditions is satisfied in relation to the region.

The first condition is that the Secretary of State has considered the level of interest in the region in the holding of such a referendum.

The second condition is that the Boundary Committee for England have made recommendations in relation to the region in pursuance of section 13.

The Secretary of State may make the order at any time during the period of two years starting with the date on which he gives a direction under section 13 in relation to the region so long as before he makes the order he has no cause to think that the level of interest has changed materially.

A change in the level of interest is material if the changed level is one at which the Secretary of State (disregarding factors relating to any other region) thinks he would not have given a direction under section 13.

The Secretary of State may by order vary or revoke an order under this section if he thinks it is not appropriate for a referendum to be held on the date specified in the order.