Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003

3 Referendum questions

(1) The question to be asked in a referendum held in pursuance of an order under section 1 is:

“Should there be an elected assembly for the (insert name of region) region?”

(2) The following statement (in as nearly as may be the following form) must precede the question on the ballot paper:

“You can help to decide whether there should be an elected assembly in the (insert name of region) region. If an elected assembly is to be established, it is intended that:

• the elected assembly would be responsible for a range of activities currently carried out mainly by central government bodies, including regional economic development; and

• local government would be reorganised into a single tier in those parts of the region that currently have both county and district councils.”

(3) The question to be asked in a referendum in pursuance of an order under section 2(2) is:

“Which of the following options for single tier local government do you prefer?

• insert text of options set out in the order requiring the referendum to be held.”

(4) If the same ballot paper is used for both a referendum held in pursuance of an order under section 1 and a referendum held in pursuance of an order under section 2(2), the following statement (in as nearly as may be the following form) must precede the question on the ballot paper used in any part of the region where a referendum is held in pursuance of an order under section 2(2):

“Your part of the region currently has both county and district councils. You can help to decide how local authorities in your part of the region will be reorganised into a single tier. There will be no such reorganisation if an elected assembly is not established.”

(5) If the same ballot paper is not used for both referendums as mentioned in subsection (4) the following statement (in as nearly as may be the following form) must precede the question on the ballot paper used for a referendum held in pursuance of an order under section 2(2):

“If an elected assembly is established for the (insert name of region) region, it is intended that local government will be reorganised into a single tier in those parts of the region that currently have both county and district councils.

Your part of the region currently has both county and district councils. You can help to decide how local authorities in your part of the region will be reorganised into a single tier. There will be no such reorganisation if an elected assembly is not established.”

(6) An order under section 2(2) must set out—

(a) the text of the options to be inserted in the question specified in subsection (3);

(b) such explanatory material relating to the options as will be made available for voters at the time they vote.

(7) Before an order under section 2(2) is laid before Parliament in pursuance of section 29(2) the Secretary of State must consult the Electoral Commission—

(a) on the wording of the text required to be inserted in pursuance of subsection (3);

(b) on the explanatory material.

(8) At the time when the order is so laid the Secretary of State must lay before each House a report stating any views which the Commission have expressed in response to the consultation as to—

(a) the intelligibility of the text mentioned in subsection (7);

(b) the explanatory material.

(9) Explanatory material does not include instructions to voters as to the conduct of the referendum.