text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  European Union Referendum Bill - New Clause 3 - Publication of Campaign Material by Government and Public Bodies
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  
  @ MP voted aye to ban central and local government publishing campaigning material in the run-up to the referendum on if the UK should remain a member of the EU. 
  @ MP voted no to allow central and local government to publish campaigning material in the run-up to the referendum on if the UK should remain a member of the EU. 
  
  The majority of MPs voted to allow central and local government to publish campaigning material in the run-up to the referendum on if the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union. 
  
  The provisions also apply to public bodies. 
  
  
  MPs were considering the European Union Referendum Bill[1]. 
  
  The proposed new clause rejected in this vote stated:
  
  :(1) This section applies to any material, whichâ
  
  :(a) provides general information about the referendum,
  
  :(b) deals with any of the issues raised by the referendum question,
  
  :(c) puts any arguments for or against any outcome, or
  
  :(d) is designed to encourage voting at the referendum.
  
  :(2) Subject to subsection (3), no material to which this section applies is to be published during the relevant period by or on behalf ofâ
  
  :(a) the UK government,
  
  :(b) the House of Commons or House of Lords,
  
  :(c) the devolved administrations,
  
  :(d) any local authority,
  
  :(e) public bodies, or
  
  :(f) the European Commission and European Parliament.
  
  :(3) Sub-paragraph (2) does not apply toâ
  
  :(a) existing material made available to persons in response to specific requests for information or to persons specifically seeking access to it, or
  
  :(b) anything done by or on behalf ofâ
  
  :(i) a designated organisation,
  
  :(ii) the Electoral Commission, or
  
  :(c) the Chief Counting Officer or any other counting officer, or
  
  :(d) the publication of information relating to the holding of the poll.
  
  :(4) In this paragraphâ
  
  :âpublishâ means make available to the public at large, or any section of the public, in whatever form and by whatever means (and âpublicationâ is to be construed accordingly),
  
  :âthe relevant periodâ means the period of 28 days ending with the date of the referendum.
  
  :(a) A breach of the rules set out in this section, will be an offence.
  
  :(b) A person guilty of an offence under this section, is liableâ
  
  :(i) on conviction on indictment, to a fine;
  
  :(ii) on summary conviction in England and Wales, to a fine;
  
  :(iii) on summary conviction in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;
  
  :(iv) on summary conviction in Gibraltar, to a fine note exceeding level 5 on the Gibraltar standard scale.
  
  ==
  
  
  * [1] [http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/europeanunionreferendum.html Parliament's web page on the European Union Referendum Bill]
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  