LONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said the central bank detected some economic uncertainty ahead of a referendum on Britain’s European Union membership, but he stressed that investment intentions by businesses remained sturdy.

“We pick up heightened awareness about upcoming political events, some of which don’t have a timeframe yet, but investment intentions in businesses outside the energy sector continue to be robust,” Carney said, answering questions following a speech in London.

Prime Minister David Cameron is seeking to reform Britain’s ties with the bloc before a referendum which he has promised to hold by the end of 2017 and could take place around the middle of this year. (Writing by Andy Bruce; editing by William Schomberg)