Hansard

We in Parliament debate many highly charged and contentious issues, which are robustly discussed. However, the Scottish Elections (Dates) Bill is not one of them. As has been said, it is a short and straightforward bill.

The twin proposals to shift the Scottish Parliament and local government election dates to 2021 and 2022 respectively are sensible and necessary, and will receive the support of the Conservatives. Indeed, it seems clear that the bill has received wide support both from within and outside Parliament.

According to the policy memorandum, the Scottish Government consulted several organisations on the proposed date changes, including the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Electoral Commission, the Electoral Management Board for Scotland, the Electoral Reform Society, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers. That is an exhaustive and impressively authoritative compendium of electoral expertise, and I am very glad that all are said to be supportive of the bill. That consensus is encouraging.

It is important to reflect on how we got to where we are. The Gould report of 2007 pointed out the undesirable aspects of twinning local government elections and Scottish Parliament elections. Cross-party agreement has now emerged on the principle that that is indeed an unwise course of action, and that those elections should not fall on the same day as general elections to the House of Commons or any other significant elections. That principle is, of course, recognised in the Scotland Bill, which declares that UK legislation should prevent a Scottish Parliament election from being held on the same day as a UK general election, a local election or an election to the European Parliament. That is good practice to which we should adhere.

It is worth noting that the powers that we are exercising are yet another example of further devolution in practice. The responsibility for changing the date of a Scottish Parliament election currently sits with the UK Parliament, but the Smith commission, on which I served, recommended that

“The Scottish Parliament will have all powers in relation to elections to the Scottish Parliament and local government elections in Scotland”.

However, the Scotland Bill that is currently before the Westminster Parliament will not be enacted in sufficient time to resolve the issue that immediately faces us.

It is important that, before they go to the polling station, people know the length of the next parliamentary session and can make a decision with that knowledge. I am very glad that the specific issue is being addressed in the Scotland Bill but, as I said, it will not be passed in time, so the Scottish Elections (Dates) Bill is necessary.

There has been productive co-operation between our two Governments, and I want to see that continue. It is another example of the spirit of the Smith commission working in practice to very good effect for the people of Scotland.

I am very pleased to say that my party will support the bill at decision time.