1. Decision on taking business in private

The Committee will decide whether to take item 7 in private.

2. Subordinate Legislation

The Committee will take evidence on —

The Representation of the People (Postal Voting for Local Government Elections) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2026 [draft]

The Scottish Local Government Elections (Election Agents, Expenses and Publication of Information) Amendment Order 2026 [draft]

from—

• Jamie Hepburn
  Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans
  Scottish Government
• Iain Hockenhull
  Head of Elections
  Scottish Government
• Lorraine Walkinshaw
  Lawyer
  Scottish Government Legal Directorate

3. Subordinate Legislation

Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans to move—

S7M-01085—That the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee recommends that the The Representation of the People (Postal Voting for Local Government Elections) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2026 [draft] be approved.

S7M-01086—That the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee recommends that the The Scottish Local Government Elections (Election Agents, Expenses and Publication of Information) Amendment Order 2026 [draft] be approved.

4. Subordinate Legislation

The Committee will consider—

5. Scottish Local Government Elections (Candidacy Rights of Commonwealth Citizens) Bill – Stage 1 evidence

The Committee will take evidence from—

• Robert Nicol
  President
  Scottish Assessors Association
• Chris Highcock
  Secretary to the Board and Depute Returning Officer for the City of Edinburgh
  Electoral Management Board for Scotland

6. Representation of the People Bill (UK Parliament Legislation) – evidence

The Committee will take evidence on legislative consent memorandums LCM-S6-74, LCM-S7-7, LCM-S7-7a and LCM-S7-7b from—

• Robert Nicol
  Electoral Registration Officer
  Electoral Management Board for Scotland
• Professor Toby James
  Professor of Politics and Public Policy
  University of East Anglia UK
• Chris Highcock
  Secretary to the Board and Depute Returning Officer for the City of Edinburgh
  Electoral Management Board for Scotland

7. Review of evidence

The Committee will review the evidence it heard under agenda items 5 and 6.