§ Lord Inglewoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Filkin on 26 June (WA 36), what are the range of factors and circumstances in which they believe it is appropriate for a referendum to be called. [HL3906]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Lord Filkin)The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) provides the generic statutory framework for the conduct of referendums in the United Kingdom, or a referendum held in Scotland, Wales, England or Northern Ireland, but does not stipulate criteria for determining when it is appropriate to hold a referendum on a particular issue. The Government believe that decisions on whether or not to hold a referendum are best taken on an individual basis taking account of the matters relevant to each specific case.