This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/8327105.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Scots election reform 'too slow' Scots election reform 'too slow'
(about 13 hours later)
The Electoral Commission has called for more urgent action to improve the conduct of elections in Scotland.The Electoral Commission has called for more urgent action to improve the conduct of elections in Scotland.
The watchdog said some decisions had still not been taken, two years after chaos marred the 2007 Holyrood vote.The watchdog said some decisions had still not been taken, two years after chaos marred the 2007 Holyrood vote.
The commission said an interim management board had delivered successful European elections.The commission said an interim management board had delivered successful European elections.
But it said Scottish and UK ministers had still to decide what permanent structures would be in place for the 2011 Holyrood and 2012 council votes.But it said Scottish and UK ministers had still to decide what permanent structures would be in place for the 2011 Holyrood and 2012 council votes.
After the 2007 voting problems, a report by independent election expert Ron Gould said confusing ballot forms were chiefly to blame for more than 140,000 spoilt votes.After the 2007 voting problems, a report by independent election expert Ron Gould said confusing ballot forms were chiefly to blame for more than 140,000 spoilt votes.
But his report also criticised the fragmented system for overseeing elections in Scotland.But his report also criticised the fragmented system for overseeing elections in Scotland.
Permanent structuresPermanent structures
The Electoral Commission's UK-wide report on this year's European elections said an interim election management board in Scotland had worked well but it urged against complacency.The Electoral Commission's UK-wide report on this year's European elections said an interim election management board in Scotland had worked well but it urged against complacency.
"We are concerned that more than two years have passed since the 2007 Scottish parliamentary and local government elections and final decisions are still to be taken by the UK and Scottish governments for the permanent structures to be put in place to ensure electoral administrative performance continues to improve in Scotland," it said."We are concerned that more than two years have passed since the 2007 Scottish parliamentary and local government elections and final decisions are still to be taken by the UK and Scottish governments for the permanent structures to be put in place to ensure electoral administrative performance continues to improve in Scotland," it said.
It said the UK and Scottish governments should move "as quickly as practicable" to enshrine in legislation an electoral management board and post of "election convener".It said the UK and Scottish governments should move "as quickly as practicable" to enshrine in legislation an electoral management board and post of "election convener".
The report said: "In stating this we recognise legislative change takes time but would urge that permanent arrangements be in place for the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary and 2012 local government elections."The report said: "In stating this we recognise legislative change takes time but would urge that permanent arrangements be in place for the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary and 2012 local government elections."
It was always our intention to review the work of the board in the light of the Electoral Commission's evaluation Bruce CrawfordMinister for Parliamentary Business
Scottish Minister for Parliamentary Business Bruce Crawford said some of the recommendations of the Gould Report had already been implemented.
He said: "We have legislated to separate local government elections from elections to the Scottish Parliament to remove the potential for confusion identified by Gould. The next local government elections in Scotland will take place in 2012.
"We have funded, with the Scotland Office, the work of the Interim Electoral Management Board for Scotland which the Electoral Commission concludes is working well and delivered a successful election to the European Parliament in June this year.
"It was always our intention to review the work of the board in the light of the Electoral Commission's evaluation."
He added that one of the recommendations of the Gould Report was that responsibility for Holyrood elections be transferred to the Scottish Parliament.
He said the Scottish government agreed with that approach but the UK government had not, as yet, accepted the case for change.