Chamber and committees

Yes—but they would not have to do it just before an election. The point that you made was that what you did was in January, which was in the build-up to the election. If registration for a postal vote was done every three years, the register would be more accurate and there would be less frenetic activity just before elections. That would allow people who are away on business or who know that they will be away for a few years—I am thinking about the armed services, of which I was a member—to renew their postal vote for when they know that they will not be there for an election. Surely there is some merit in that—or is it all just bad news?

That is all my questions. I make the comment that it is a political decision and there are ways of making the system better, but I am not saying that the change should not happen.

My next question is on the removal of the 15-year limit on overseas electors’ ability to vote in UK parliamentary elections. Is that a problem administratively? It is a political issue, but I am not asking you to comment on the politics; I am asking whether it is an administrative burden.

My first point is really an observation. Many returning officers in polling stations are changing, and it is no longer possible to rely on their ability to identify everyone locally. Having carried an ID card around for many years, I observe that it is a bit of problem when you first get introduced to it, but it is relatively easy once you get used to it. There might be initial problems.

What evidence have you heard regarding problems with personation in England? Is there a problem there or are you saying that, because there is no problem in Scotland, it is not a problem across the UK?

Can I come back on that, convener?

No, I heard that. I could not hear you, convener, but I am confident that I have heard the answers to my questions.

Thank you, convener. There is always a mad scramble just before elections to get postal votes in because people do not know when the elections will happen—except, of course, the Scottish parliamentary elections after a fixed term, which has, in the past, conflicted with UK elections, in particular. Would we not be better reviewing postal votes every three years and sending out reminders to people to update their postal votes, rather than just doing it at the last possible moment?

My only comment is that we are talking about UK elections here. The Scottish Parliament has fixed terms while the UK Parliament does not, although I understand that you want to push the two together.

My other question is about the limit on the number of postal votes that an individual can return in person. Do you think that people understand that family members can return more than non-family members? Is it complicated or is it easily understood?

It is certainly arbitrary—sorry, convener.

I am sorry, but that was a political answer, which is not what I was looking for. I think that it is quite arbitrary to say that, once someone has been overseas for 15 years, they can no longer vote in UK elections.

I am hearing that improvements could be made to the system. I heard from Pete Wildman that digital records could be used more often and that that will make the process easier as the age of electors increases. Is that correct, Pete?