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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 24 November 2024
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Displaying 1320 contributions

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Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 28 March 2024

Martin Whitfield

I am grateful for that confidence. Stephen Kerr, I think you have a question.

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 28 March 2024

Martin Whitfield

Your difficulty is that you have overlapping timetables for reviews that have different starting dates for various reasons. The bill seeks to rectify the change to the terms of office in local government from four years to five years.

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 28 March 2024

Martin Whitfield

Yes, effectively.

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 28 March 2024

Martin Whitfield

If the problem that you have identified was in a risk register, it would be amber rather than red. It is a risk that you are aware of and you feel that it is manageable.

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 28 March 2024

Martin Whitfield

I certainly cannot solve one of those commission problems for you, I am afraid. The election bill that we are looking at today would be an opportunity if there was a better system, but you are confident that you are aware of the challenges and the suggestion that is being made is probably the best that is available to you.

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 28 March 2024

Martin Whitfield

On your massive calendar on the wall, you have the review dates highlighted, and you are confident that you can deliver the work to the proposed new timetable, which goes up to 2031.

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 28 March 2024

Martin Whitfield

Is that before the roll-out of the code of practice to those whom it would affect?

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 28 March 2024

Martin Whitfield

That is helpful.

The second area that I wish to examine is the reduction from £10,000 to £700 for overseas campaigns for devolved elections. One of the purposes that has been highlighted is to send an incredibly strong message as to interference. There have been great concerns this week about interference in elections through data breaches that have happened. Before we get into that aspect, will such a provision ever be enforceable?

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 28 March 2024

Martin Whitfield

Can I clarify something? When you say “officials”, do you mean Scottish Government officials or Parliament officials?

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 28 March 2024

Martin Whitfield

Let me do the quick-fire round then, but with the proviso that, if you would like time to consider the issues that I raise, I am more than happy for you to write to us about them. I will just mention issues that are of concern.

The first issue is overseas voters. You might have thoughts on the voter registration and identification period, because there is a difference between Scotland and the UK on that. Another issue is voter ID—that is an ever-popular issue to talk about. Other issues are dual mandates and recall. It is going to get good, this.

Given the events of this week, one issue that I would like to hear your thoughts on is the security of elections. Data protection breaches and AI have been discussed in that regard. It has been asserted that the data breach of the electoral records will not be a problem. Where does the confidence to make that statement come from?