§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the returning officers of the unitary authorities in Scotland, or staff acting on their behalf, contacted the Scottish Office Devolution Unit by phone between 10pm on 11 September 1997 and the conclusion of the count for Scotland, to request guidance on the interpretation of the answers given to the questions in the referendum, where the voters had written yes or no in the ballot paper; and if he will make a statement. [23234]
§ Mr. McLeishThe Chief Counting Officer for Scotland who had responsibility for the count did not receive any requests for further guidance on the adjudication of ballot papers in the period in question.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those unitary authorities in Scotland which, during the course of the referendum count on 11 September changed the basis of interpretation as to whether a ballot paper was to be accepted as valid, or to be declared spoilt; and how many of these changed their interpretation on the specific advice of his Department. [23274]
§ Mr. McLeishI am not aware that any area changed the basis of its interpretation of the adjudication of ballot papers or changed its interpretation of the guidance issued by the Chief Counting Office for Scotland.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he gave to returning officers in each of the unitary authority areas in Scotland, for the referendum count on 11 September 1997, with regard to deciding whether or not a vote was to be regarded as valid if the voter wrote "No" in the box adjacent to the statement "I do not agree that there should be a Scottish Parliament"; in what circumstances such a vote, in the absence of any other mark made by the voter on the ballot paper, was taken as(a) a "No" vote, (b) a "Yes" vote or (c) spoilt vote; and what additional guidance was given to returning officers during the course of the count on that evening. [23268]
299W
§ Mr. McLeishThe advice given in the guidance issued by the Chief Counting Officer about a ballot paper marked with "No" in the box adjacent to the statement "I do not agree that there should be a Scottish Parliament" was that the ballot paper was to be treated as a "No"vote. No additional guidance was issued by the Chief Counting Officer during the course of the count.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance which he circulated to returning officers in each of the unitary authority areas in Scotland for the counting procedure for the referendum which took place on 11 September 1997, together with a copy of supplementary guidance issued after and clarification guidance faxed to such officers during the course of the count. [23275]
§ Mr. McLeishResponsibility for the conduct of the count lay with the Chief Counting Officer for Scotland. A copy of his guidance in connection with the count has been placed in the Library. No supplementary guidance was issued.