Question reference: S6W-01138
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
- Date lodged: 1 July 2021
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Current status: Answered by John Swinney on 19 July 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will make a decision on the proposals submitted to it by Boundaries Scotland on (a) 10 June 2021 regarding the Highland Council's ward boundaries and (b) 28 May 2021 regarding ward boundaries on Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.
Answer
Boundaries Scotland’s final proposals have been submitted and Scottish Ministers now have a legal duty to lay regulations giving effect to the proposals as soon as is practicably possible.
The Scottish Elections (Reform) Act 2020 removed ministerial discretion to modify or reject Boundaries Scotland’s proposals. However the regulations will now be subject to affirmative procedure in the Scottish Parliament. This gives Parliament an enhanced role in scrutinizing the Boundary Commission’s proposals and brings the procedure into line with that already in place for Scottish Parliament constituency boundaries.
The regulations are due to be laid in the Scottish Parliament in late August. The lead committee will take evidence from witnesses ahead of a debate on the motion to approve the regulations.