Referendum costs
Published 14 January 2011
We were asked for information on 鈥榯he latest estimate of the cost to the public purse of all matters connected directly or indirectly with the holding of the proposed referendum on more devolution to the Welsh Assembly.鈥�
The latest information held by the Wales Office on costs of the referendum is:
The estimated total cost remains 拢8.2 million.聽This is an estimate at this stage, and may be subject to revision as costs become firmed up.
The elements of overall cost are:
- the costs of funding the Electoral Commission work, estimated at 拢2.7 million will be met by the UK Consolidated Fund
- the Welsh Assembly government will bear the cost of the running of the referendum at a local level by counting officers, and postage costs of the free mail-out to households in Wales that both the 鈥榊es鈥� and 鈥楴o鈥� campaigns are entitled to if designated as lead campaigns.聽Precise details of these costs are being worked out, and provision for them will be made in a supplementary budget in the assembly nearer the time. They are estimated to be a total of around 拢5 to 5.5 million.