Hansard

Professor John Curtice (University of Strathclyde):

I can assure the committee that, by the standards of many university lecture theatres, this is a palatial building.The remit that I was given for appearing b...

The Convener: Lab

Thank you. Lots of interesting information there. Who wishes to speak?

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): Lab

I am trying hard to think clearly about your last point—it has got a lot of things going on in my head. You mentioned that you asked a question about a clear...

Professor Curtice:

I am arguing that first past the post is not good at delivering a clear winner, as 13 out of 32 councils did not get a clear winner in 1999. If you believe t...

Dr Jackson: Lab

I totally agree; that would have been my conclusion too. However, I wondered whether that was a fair question. Does what you have said not make it confusing?

Professor Curtice:

The answers one receives to questions on electoral reform are a function of the wording of the question. This was an attempt—and I will happily send you the ...

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): Lab

In a sense, what you are doing is searching for an electoral system that meets more than an academic view of what an electoral system should be like; in othe...

Professor Curtice:

I will take your questions in reverse order. Pull me up if I forget to address any of your points.First, I will address your question of whether we can have ...

Johann Lamont: Lab

I mentioned the issue of safe seats. Often in this debate there is a theoretical discussion about which is the best system, but the problem arises when it co...

Professor Curtice:

As you will be aware from the way in which the top-up element of the system for the Scottish Parliament works, when you move to any kind of party list system...

The Convener: Lab

I will hold you there. Four people have indicated that they want to speak.

Mr Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): Lab

When I first examined this issue, I had no definite beliefs about electoral reform, but I was more in favour of it than anything else and I favoured the alte...

Professor Curtice:

I agree that we should devise a system to deliver what the Scottish public wants. However, some of the arguments that I hear against multi-member representat...

The Convener: Lab

As five members still want to speak, I suggest that you ask a question rather than tell a story and then ask a question.

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): SNP

Will you comment on the perceived disfranchised, the people who do not vote? For example, in Drumchapel people may not vote because of the legions of Labour ...

Professor Curtice:

Unlike some proponents of PR, I would never sell PR to you on the grounds that it will have a dramatic impact on turnout. Research evidence, based on the sta...

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP

The electoral registers are always shockingly out of date. People underestimate the fact that, particularly in poorer areas with a high turnover of populatio...

Professor Curtice:

The Home Office is proposing legislation for a rolling electoral register in the next session of the UK Parliament. I hope that will sort out the 19th centur...

The Convener: Lab

Was that your question, Kenny?

Mr Gibson: SNP

That was a comment.

The Convener: Lab

Comments are not allowed when we are running over time.

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): Con

I enjoyed your presentation, although I did not realise that Lord Jenkins was a Conservative.I was going to ask the question that Gil asked about whether res...

Professor Curtice:

The committee will be aware that some countries, such as Australia, have compulsory voting. I think that it is the politician's job to engage voters' interes...

The Convener: Lab

Good answer.

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): Lab

As some of my questions have been asked by other people, I will not repeat them.There was some voter confusion in the Scottish Parliament elections, particul...

Mr Gibson: SNP

And how do you find candidates such as the Lib Dems and Conservatives? Laughter.

Professor Curtice:

To answer your third question, the mechanisms to deal with triviality involve the number of signatures, as well as the level of the deposit, that are require...

Bristow Muldoon: Lab

No, not confusion—

Professor Curtice:

The tactical squeezing.

Bristow Muldoon: Lab

What is the point of voting Labour with your second vote in Glasgow?