Chamber and committees

Good morning. I welcome everyone to the 13th meeting in 2025 of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. I have received no apologies, but I pause to welcome Ruth Maguire back to the committee. I also put on record my thanks to Rona Mackay, who was Ruth’s substitute for a period of time, for all her marvellous contributions to the work of this committee.

Our first item of business is a decision on taking agenda items 3, 4 and 5 in private. Item 3 is consideration of the evidence that we are about to hear, item 4 is configuration of the approach that we will take to the Freedom of Information Reform (Scotland) Bill, and item 5 is a note on the review of oral questions that the committee is undertaking. Is the committee happy to take those items in private?

Members indicated agreement.

It is right to say that the solution has been to separate the dissolution period, which is, in essence, a parliamentary question about when we stop sitting as a Parliament. There will now be a slight overlap, because the election will be under way, candidates will have been nominated and all the forms will have been done.

Given the separation in the timetable, there will no longer be a challenge to the delivery of the election. However, in relation to what Sue Webber said, there might well be a challenge during the overlapping week regarding the role of a parliamentarian and the role of a candidate. The Parliament already has very strict rules about the use of resources, but will you also consider the question of reporting with regard to resources? That could be a potentially difficult decision for a candidate or parliamentarian to make over the last week. The election is in May, so we need as much time as possible. Will you keep the committee informed on how those discussions are going?

It is important to echo what Sue Webber said: it is a very challenging period for individuals. Myriad rules are thrown at them, and it would be good to be able to give people as much of a heads-up as possible, so that they can, satisfy themselves—in their own minds—that they are complying with them.

Just to clarify for people who are watching who might say, “The UK general election is always counted overnight,” that is a statutory requirement that does not exist in the legislation that we have passed in this Parliament.

As Chris Highcock said, the count timings are being consulted on to ensure that people are confident that the result that they hear is correct. One aspect is that it is perhaps common sense to recognise that tired people are more likely to make mistakes than well-rested people. If the count happens during the day—perhaps over one or two days—that makes it much easier to deal with errors, problems and concerns than if you are relying on people who have spent in excess of 12 hours counting in a polling station. Is it fair to say that?

Is that because it is the 6 o’clock news? [Laughter.]

That is maybe one of the benefits of devolution.

I will look at two separate areas, one of which—care-experienced young people and the need for a declaration of local connection—slightly concerns me. On the face of it, the purpose of the declaration is to make registration easier. However, there is a very strong challenge in identifying this group, and who is going to speak to them, inform them and support them in exercising their rights? Who is going to take responsibility for that, and how is it going to be achieved?

Absolutely. Obviously, the council elections follow a year after the new session of Parliament starts, so we will immediately be into that final-year timetable. That is very helpful, and a note will be made of it, among other things.

As there is nothing further from the committee and if there is nothing further that our witnesses would like to add, I thank you very much for your evidence this morning. I look forward to the additional information as it becomes available on the items that we have discussed, which the committee will keep an eye on. As always, you know where we are, and we know where you are. Thank you for your evidence today.

Agenda item 2 is evidence on the draft Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2025. I welcome Chris Highcock, elections manager and secretary of the Electoral Management Board for Scotland, and Sarah Mackie, head of the Electoral Commission in Scotland. If you are both content, we will go straight to questions.

I am very grateful for that statement, minister. I have a couple of questions, and then I will invite the committee to ask their own.

My first question is not specifically about this order but about the evidence that the committee has heard. The minister and the Scottish Government may or may not be in agreement with the view that the committee indicated in its questions, which was that the learning experience of the most recent review should be captured in the lessons learned for the next review process. We came to that view because we heard concerns—or, rather, that there were challenges—relating to the naming of the different steps in that process. There were challenges in the inquiries and, possibly, a lack of understanding among those who were invited to contribute—in other words, our constituents—as to how to contribute to best effect.

I invite the Scottish Government to echo that there are clearly lessons that need to be learned, not as a criticism of the process that has already happened, but as a step forward so that the next time that those issues occur—which will happen—we can perhaps build on the lessons learned.

Excellent. I thank the minister and those who assist the minister for his contribution today. He is more than welcome to hear the rest of our public debate, which is on cross-party groups. Similarly, I am more than happy if he leaves, as he will have other things in his diary. Thank you for your contribution today, minister.

Good morning, and welcome to the 12th meeting in 2025 of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. I have received apologies from Ruth Maguire, so I welcome Rona Mackay, who is attending as a substitute.

Our first agenda item is consideration of the draft Scottish Parliament (Disqualification) Order 2025. I welcome Jamie Hepburn, the Minister for Parliamentary Business; and, from the Scottish Government, Kenneth Pentland, elections team; Ailsa Kemp, head of the parliamentary liaison unit; and Jordan McGrory, solicitor.

Minister, would you like to make a short opening statement?