Welfare Devolution Referendum (Scotland) Act 2017 1

MODEL
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

Welfare Devolution Referendum (Scotland) Act 2017

2017 asp 13

The Bill for this Act of the Scottish Parliament was passed by the Parliament on 11th
November 2017 and received Royal Assent on 12th November 2017

An Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provision for the holding of a referendum in
Scotland on a question about the devolution of welfare powers to the Scottish Parliament.

Referendum

1 Referendum on welfare devolution

(1) A referendum is to be held in Scotland on a question about the devolution of welfare
powers to the Scottish Parliament.
(2) The question is
(a) in English
Should welfare powers be devolved to the Scottish Parliament?
(b) in Gaelic
Am bu chir cead a bhith aig Prlamaid na h-Alba reachdas a
dhanamh mu dheidhinn sochair?
(3) The question must be printed in English and in Gaelic on the ballot paper to be used
for the purpose of the referendum.
(4) The date on which the poll at the referendum is to be held is 30th November 2017,
unless before then regulations are made under subsection (6).
(5) Subsection (6) applies if the Scottish Ministers are satisfied
(a) that it is impossible or impracticable for the poll at the referendum to be held
on 30th November 2017, or
(b) that it cannot be conducted properly if held on that date.
(6) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations appoint a later day as the day on which
the poll at the referendum is to be held.
(7) Regulations under subsection (6)
(a) may include supplementary or consequential provision,
(b) may modify any enactment (including this Act), and
2 Welfare Devolution Referendum (Scotland) Act 2017

(c) are subject to the affirmative procedure.

2 Franchise
A person is entitled to vote in the referendum held under section 1 if, on the date on
which the poll at the referendum is held, the person
(a) is aged 16 or over,
(b) is registered in the register of parliamentary electors or the register of local
government electors maintained under section 9(1) of the Representation of
the People Act 1983 for any area in Scotland, and
(c) would not be legally incapable (whether by virtue or any enactment or any rule
of law) of voting at a parliamentary election in Scotland held on that date.

General

3 Ancillary provision
(1) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations make any incidental, supplementary,
consequential, transitional, transitory or saving provision they consider appropriate
for the purposes of, or in connection with or for giving full effect to this Act.
(2) Regulations under this section
(a) may modify any enactment (including this Act), and
(b) are subject to the affirmative procedure.

4 Commencement
This Act comes into force on the day after Royal Assent.

5 Short title
The short title of this Act is the Welfare Devolution Referendum (Scotland) Act
2017.