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Referendums

Volume 407: debated on Wednesday 25 June 2003

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To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those referendums (a) which have taken place and (b) which have been pledged since May 1997; if he will list (i) the votes in favour and (ii) the votes against, and calculate those figures as a percentage of eligible votes; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards identifying criteria for holding referenda. [121466]

The list of referendums and associated statistics requested are contained in the following tables.My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his statement, Economic and Monetary Union, in this House on 9 June 2003,

Official Report, column 415, that the Government propose to publish a draft referendum Bill this autumn.

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 there are no criteria for determining when it is appropriate to hold a referendum on a particular issue.

National and regional referendums since 1997

Year

Referendum area

Referendum

Result

1998Northern IrelandDo you support the agreement reached at the multi-party talks on Northern Ireland and set out in Command Paper 3883?Yes 676,966 (71.1%) No 274,879 (29.9% Turnout 81%
1998LondonAre you in favour of the Government's proposals for a Greater London Authority, made up of an elected mayor and a separately elected assembly?Yes 1,230,715 (72%) No 478,413 (28%) Turnout 34.1%
1997Wales1. I agree that there should be a Welsh Assembly; or 2. I do not agree that there should be a Welsh AssemblyYes 559,419 (50.3%) No 552,698 (49.7%) Turnout 50.1%
1997Scotland1. I agree that there should be a Scottish Parliament; or 2. I do not agree there should be a Scottish Parliament; 1. I agree that a Scottish Parliament should have tax-varying powers; or 2. I do not agree that a Scottish Parliament should have tax-varying powers1,775,045(74.3%) 614,400(25.7%) 1,512,889 (63.5%) 870,263 (36.5%) Turnout 60.4%

Mayoral referendums since 1997

Date

Council

Result

7 June 2001Berwick-upon-TweedYes 3,61 7 (26%) No 10,212(74%) Turnout 64%
28 June 2001CheltenhamYes 8,083 (33%) No 16,602 (67%) Turnout 32%
28 June 2001GloucesterYes 7,731 (32%) No 16,317(68%) Turnout 31%
12 July 2001WatfordYes 7,636 (52%) No 7,140 (48%) Turnout 25%
20 September 2001DoncasterYes 35,453 (65%) No 19,398 (35%) Turnout 25%
4 October 2001KirkleesYes 10,169(27%) No 27,977 (73%) Turnout 13%
11 October 2001SunderlandYes 9,375 (43%) No 12,209 (57%) Turnout 10%
18 October 2001Brighton & HoveYes 22,724 (38%) No 37,214 (62%) Turnout 32%
18 October 2001HartlepoolYes 10,667 (51%) No 10,294 (49%) Turnout 34%
18 October 2001LewishamYes 16,822 (51%) No 15,914(49%) Turnout 18%
18 October 2001MiddlesbroughYes 29,067 (84%) No 5,422 (16%) Turnout 34%
18 October 2001North TynesideYes 30,262 (58%) No 22,296 (42%) Turnout 36%

Mayoral referendums since 1997

Date

Council

Result

18 October 2001SedgefieldYes 10,628 (47%) No 11,869(53%) Turnout 33%
8 November 2001RedditchYes 7,250 (44%) No 9,198 (56%) Turnout 28%
20 November 2001Durham (City)Yes 8,327 (41%) No 11,974 (59%) Turnout 29%
6 December 2001HarrowYes 17,502 (43%) No 23,554 (57%) Turnout 26%
24 January 2002PlymouthYes 29,559(41%) No 42,811 (59%) Turnout 40%
24 January 2002HarlowYes 5,296 (25%) No 15,490(75%) Turnout 35%
31 January 2002NewhamYes 27,263 (68%) No 12,687 (32%) Turnout 26%
31 January 2002SouthwarkYes 6,054 (31%) No 13,217 (69%) Turnout 11%
31 January 2002West DevonYes 3,555 (23%) No 12,190 (77%) Turnout 42%
31 January 2002ShepwayYes 11,357 (44%) No 14,438 (56%) Turnout 36%
21 February 2002BedfordYes 11,316 (67%) No 5,537 (33%) Turnout 16%
2 May 2002HackneyYes 24,697 (59%) No 10,547 (41%) Turnout 32%

Mayoral referendums since 1997

Date

Council

Result

2 May 2002MansfieldYes 8,973 (55%) No 7,350 (45%) Turnout 21%
2 May 2002Newcastle-under-LymeYes 12,912(44%) No 16,468 (56%) Turnout 31.5%
2 May 2002OxfordYes 14,692 (44%) No 18,686(56%) Turnout 34%
2 May 2002Stoke on TrentYes 28,601 (58%) No 20,578 (42%) Turnout 27%
1 October 2002CorbyYes 5,351 (46%) No 6,239 (53%) Turnout 31%
12 December 2002EalingYes 9,454 (45%) No 11,655(55%) Turnout 9.8%