division_name: European Union Referendum Bill &#8212; New Clause 3 &#8212; Restriction on Publications etc
motion: <p pid="c.281.1/1" pwmotiontext="yes">(1) This section applies to any material, which&#8212;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/2" pwmotiontext="yes">(a) provides general information about the referendum,</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/3" pwmotiontext="yes">(b) deals with any of the issues raised by the referendum question,</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/4" pwmotiontext="yes">(c) puts any arguments for or against any outcome, or</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/5" pwmotiontext="yes">(d) is designed to encourage voting at the referendum.</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/6" pwmotiontext="yes">(2) Subject to subsection (3), no material to which this section applies is to be published during the relevant period by or on behalf of&#8212;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/7" pwmotiontext="yes">(a) the UK government,</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/8" pwmotiontext="yes">(b) the House of Commons or House of Lords,</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/9" pwmotiontext="yes">(c) the devolved administrations,</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/10" pwmotiontext="yes">(d) any local authority,</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/11" pwmotiontext="yes">(e) public bodies, or</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/12" pwmotiontext="yes">(f) the European Commission and European Parliament.</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/13" pwmotiontext="yes">(3) Sub-paragraph (2) does not apply to&#8212;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/14" pwmotiontext="yes">(a) existing material made available to persons in response to specific requests for information or to persons specifically seeking access to it, or</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/15" pwmotiontext="yes">(b) anything done by or on behalf of&#8212;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/16" pwmotiontext="yes">(i) a designated organisation,</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/17" pwmotiontext="yes">(ii) the Electoral Commission, or</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/18" pwmotiontext="yes">(c) the Chief Counting Officer or any other counting officer, or</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/19" pwmotiontext="yes">(d) the publication of information relating to the holding of the poll.</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/20" pwmotiontext="yes">(4) In this paragraph&#8212;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/21" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;publish&#8221; means make available to the public at large, or any section of the public, in whatever form and by whatever means (and &#8220;publication&#8221; is to be construed accordingly),</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/22" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;the relevant period&#8221; means the period of 28 days ending with the date of the referendum.</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/23" pwmotiontext="yes">(a) A breach of the rules set out in this section, will be an offence.</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/24" pwmotiontext="yes">(b) A person guilty of an offence under this section, is liable&#8212;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/25" pwmotiontext="yes">(i) on conviction on indictment, to a fine;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/26" pwmotiontext="yes">(ii) on summary conviction in England and Wales, to a fine;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/27" pwmotiontext="yes">(iii) on summary conviction in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/28" pwmotiontext="yes">(iv) on summary conviction in Gibraltar, to a fine note exceeding level 5 on the Gibraltar standard scale.&#8212;<i>(Alex Salmond.)</i></p>
  
  <p class="italic" pid="c.281.1/29" pwmotiontext="yes">The New Clause prescribes a period of &#8220;purdah&#8221; in the four weeks before the referendum</p>
  
  <p class="italic" pid="c.281.1/30" pwmotiontext="yes">.</p>
  
  <p class="italic" pid="c.281.1/31" pwmotiontext="yes">Brought up, and read the First time.</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/32" pwmotiontext="yes"><i>Question put,</i> That the clause be read a Second time:&#8212;</p>
  
  <p class="italic" pid="c.281.1/33" pwmotiontext="yes">The Committee divided:</p>
  
  <p pid="c.281.1/34" pwmotiontext="yes">Ayes 75, Noes 313.</p>