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The purpose of this item is for the committee to consider the delegated powers in the Scottish Elections (Reduction of Voting Age) Bill at stage 1. Members will have seen the delegated powers memorandum and the briefing paper.
Section 9E of the Representation of the People Act 1983 requires registration officers to invite persons to apply for registration in the electoral register if they are not currently registered but the officer believes that they may be entitled to be registered. Section 4(1) of the Scottish Elections (Reduction of Voting Age) Bill confers a power on the Scottish ministers to make provision about invitations to be given to persons under the age of 16 in relation to the registration of local government electors.
Does the committee agree to report that it finds that power to be acceptable in principle and that it is content that it is subject to the affirmative procedure?
Members indicated agreement.
Sections 12 to 14 of the bill set out the limited circumstances in which details of entries in the local government electoral register relating to under-16s may be published, disclosed or shared.
Section 14(2) provides a non-exclusive list of examples of what might be done with the power. The list includes authorising or requiring the supply of information to specified persons, specifying the purposes for which such information may be used, prohibiting further supply of information, and prohibitions on the supply of copies of the full register.
Does the committee agree to report that it finds that power to be acceptable in principle and that it is content that it is subject to the affirmative procedure?
Members indicated agreement.
Section 17 of the bill permits regulations to make the full range of ancillary provision: incidental, supplemental, consequential, transitional, transitory or saving provisions. Ministers may make such provision if they consider it necessary or expedient for the purposes of, in consequence of, or for giving full effect to, any provision in the bill.
Does the committee agree to report that it finds that power to be acceptable in principle and that it is content that it is subject to the affirmative procedure when primary legislation is amended but otherwise to the negative procedure?
Members indicated agreement.
Given that no issues have been raised in relation to those powers, and that we do not wish to raise any questions with the Scottish Government, are we agreed to report that the committee is content with the delegated powers provisions in the bill at stage 1?
Members indicated agreement.