4. INFORMATION ACTIVITIES
24. This chapter is concerned with all aspects of the provision of informa- tion to voters. It is divided into two sections, one dealing with Government activities, the other with the activities of outside organisations and individuals.
GOVERNMENT INFORMATION ACTIVITIES
25. The Government have given careful consideration to the part they should play in providing information to the public about the issue of con- tinued membership of the European Community and about the referendum itself. The question of membership has been debated many times in the last 15 years and a massive Government information campaign would be in- appropriate. The campaigning organisations, the press, radio and television can all be expected to provide an ample supply of information about the Community.
26. The Government will however ensure that the outcome of the renegotiation and their own recommendation whether to stay in the Com- munity or not are explained fully to the voters by the publication of a White Paper (which will be debated in Parliament) and of a popular version containing a less technical account of the renegotiated terms and the Government's recommendation.
27. The referendum itself will be unfamiliar to the public and the Government will take appropriate steps to publicise the date of the poll and the procedures for voting.
28. The Government will accordingly arrange for the delivery to every household of the popular version of the White Paper and an explanation of the way in which the referendum will be conducted.
29. A large number of bodies will be engaged in the campaign and the Government have explored the possibility of ensuring that a clear statement of both sides of the case is readily available to the voters. In Parliamentary elections a basic form of information is the "election address" issued by candidates. It would be appropriate to ensure that something analogous is provided for the referendum.
30. In the Government's view the best way of achieving this would be to deliver to every household at public expense (at the same time as the separate document described in paragraph 28) a single document containing a statement of between 1,000 and 2,000 words of each of the opposing views, together with answers given by each side to the same sets of questions. This document would best be prepared by representatives of the main campaigning organisations representing the two points of view.
31. It is to be expected that there will be a substantial additional flow of requests to the Government for factual information, interpretation of the re- negotiated terms and the like from the press, radio, television and interested organisations and individuals. The Government therefore propose to establish for the period before the poll a special information unit to deal with such requests.
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