European Union (Referendum) Bill

Debate between Lyn Brown and David Lidington

Friday 29th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)]

This group of amendments deals with various matters pertaining to the detailed conduct of the proposed referendum.

Amendments 52 to 55 would impose deadlines on the Electoral Commission. Existing legislation gives the commission appropriate powers and responsibilities. Particularly as we do not yet know the exact date on which the referendum will take place, it would be wrong to impose undue inflexibility on the commission, as these amendments would.

Amendment 17 would impose thresholds. The Government believe that the referendum result should be determined, as in other referendums, by a simple majority of those who vote. Thresholds should not be required in respect of turnout or anything else.

[Lyn Brown]

Will the Minister give way?

[Mr Lidington]

No, I am going to make progress.

Amendments 5 to 7 and 84 propose arrangements for the referendum that would either duplicate or complicate arrangements that are set out clearly in existing primary legislation, namely the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

Amendments 16, 64 and 65—