Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011

17 (1) This paragraph applies where— U.K.

(a) referendum expenses are incurred by or on behalf of an individual or body during the referendum period for the referendum, and

(b) those expenses are incurred in pursuance of a plan or other arrangement by which referendum expenses are to be incurred by or on behalf of—

(i) that individual or body, and

(ii) one or more other individuals or bodies,

respectively with a view to, or otherwise in connection with, promoting or procuring a particular outcome in relation to the question asked in the referendum.

(2) The expenses mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(a) are to be treated for the purposes of the provisions of the 2000 Act set out in sub-paragraph (3) as having also been incurred, during the referendum period, by or on behalf of the other individual or body (or, as the case may be, each of the other individuals or bodies) mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(b)(ii).

(3) The provisions are—

(a) section 117;

(b) section 118 and Schedule 14;

(c) sections 120 to 123.

(4) This paragraph applies whether or not any of the individuals or bodies in question is a permitted participant.

(5) But this paragraph does not treat any expenses incurred by or on behalf of a permitted participant that is designated in respect of the referendum by the Electoral Commission under section 108 of the 2000 Act (designation of organisations to whom assistance is available) as having been incurred by or on behalf of any other individual or body.

(6) Subsections (5) and (6) of section 117 of the 2000 Act (certain expenditure incurred before the referendum period treated as incurred during that period) apply for the purposes of this paragraph as they apply for the purposes of that section.