HC Deb 24 February 1977 vol 926 cc1672-3
Mr. Russell Johnston (Inverness)

I beg to move Amendment (x), in line 2, leave out from 'referendum' to end of line 3, and insert 'for the purpose of enabling the people of Scotland to indicate which of the following courses they would prefer:

  1. (i) to leave the existing system of government unaltered; or
  2. (ii) to have effect given to the provisions of this Act so far as they relate to the government of Scotland or
  3. (iii) to establish in Scotland a domestic Parliament having jurisdiction over all internal affairs, whilst remaining part of the United Kingdom; or
  4. (iv) to have independence from the United Kingdom'.

The Chairman

With this amendment we may also take the following amendments:

(a), in line 2, leave out 'question' and insert 'questions—'.

(1)'.

(c), in line 3, after 'and', insert—

'(2) Whether Scotland should become an independent state'.

(1), in line 3, after 'and', insert—

'(2) Whether Scotland should remain part of the United Kingdom'

(y), in line 4, leave out from "referendum" to end of line 5, and insert: for the purpose of enabling the people of Wales to indicate which of the following courses they would prefer:

  1. (i) to leave the existing system of government unaltered; or
  2. (ii) to have effect given to the provisions of this Act so far as they relate to the government of Wales; or
  3. (iii) to establish in Wales a domestic Parliament having jurisdiction over all internal affairs, whilst remaining part of the United Kingdom; or
  4. (iv) to have independence from the United Kingdom".

(z), leave out line 6, and insert: (1A) Each vote cast in a referendum shall be a single transferable vote, that is to say a vote—

  1. ( a) capable of being given so as to indicate the voter's order of preference for the courses listed in the ballot paper, and
  2. (b) capable of being transferred to the next choice when, owing to the deficiency in the number of votes given for a prior choice, that choice is eliminated from the count;
and the question shall be decided in a referendum when one of the choices listed on the ballot paper has received a majority of the valid votes cast.

We may also discuss the following amendments to the new schedule—Referendums in Scotland and Wales:

(xxxx), in line 22, leave out "question" and insert "questions".

(yyyy), in line 24, at end insert: 5A. Voting shall be by the preferential voting system.

(gggggg), in line 25, leave out "question" and insert "questions".

(hhhhhh), in line 27, at end insert: 6A. Voting shall be by the preferential voting system".

(eeeee), in line 33, at end insert: 7A. Her Majesty may by Order in Council make provision as to the method of voting, and the method of counting and transferring of votes".

(xxxxx), in line 83, leave out from "Parliament" to end of line 89 and insert: However, not everyone agrees with the provisions of the Act and a number of alternative proposals for the future government of Scotland have been put forward. The Act, therefore, provides for this referendum to be held for the purpose of enabling the people of Scotland to indicate which proposed system of government they would prefer.