29/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - House of Lords describes planned referendum on EU membership as “vague”. The European Union Committee of the British House of Lords has described plans for a referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the EU as “vague” and warned against holding the vote to coincide with the British Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2017. In a report published on Tuesday 28 July, the Committee expresses concern at the lack of details on the EU reforms required by the British government, the lack of a clear timetable and any clarifications about how the vote will be legally binding. It also criticises the fact that there is no negotiator-in-chief, with this role being taken by the Minister for Europe, David Lidington, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Georges Osborne. The British press has suggested that the vote could be brought forward to June 2016. (SP)