At its meeting on 24 September 2019, the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the delegated powers provisions in the Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representation) Bill ("the Bill") at Stage 1.ⁱThe Bill is available here.

The Committee submits this report to the lead Committee for the Bill (the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee) under Rule 9.6.2 of the Standing Orders.

The Scottish Government has provided the Parliament with a memorandum on the delegated powers provisions in the Bill.ⁱThe Delegated Powers Memorandum is available here.

This Government Bill was introduced by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney MSP, on 20 June 2019.

The purpose of the Bill is to:

• extend the franchise for Scottish Parliament and local government elections to cover all foreign nationals with a right to remain in Scotland and some prisoners;

• confer on foreign nationals with a right to remain in Scotland, candidacy rights and the right to hold office following Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections.

The Bill is comprised of 10 sections and is divided into 3 parts: foreign nationals; prisoners etc. and; final provisions.

The Committee considered each of the delegated powers in the Bill. The Committee determined that it did not need to draw the attention of the Parliament to the delegated powers in the following provisions:

• Section 8 - power to make ancillary provision

• Section 9 - power to make commencement provision