Poll consultation analysis expected

Oct 22 2012

The long-awaited analysis of the independence consultation is expected to be made public on Tuesday, according to the Deputy First Minister.

Nicola Sturgeon intends to make a statement to MSPs at Holyrood on the analysis of responses just over five months since the consultation closed.

The announcement comes one week after Prime Minister David Cameron visited Edinburgh to sign off a deal to deliver a legally binding, single-question referendum in 2014, through a technical "section 30 order" which has now been formally laid at the Scottish Parliament.

The referendum deal was made during parliamentary recess, meaning that the first available opportunity for MSPs to be formally updated lands on the first day back tomorrow.

Ms Sturgeon said: "As part of last week's Edinburgh agreement, the section 30 order requires the approval of both the Scottish and Westminster parliaments.

"Today the Scottish Government have tabled that order, and I now look forward to taking part in parliament's consideration of the referendum details which will see a referendum on Scottish independence take place in autumn 2014.

"Tomorrow I intend, subject to the agreement of the Business Bureau, making a statement to parliament on the Edinburgh agreement and the consultation analysis report."

The consultation ran from January 5 to May 11, leading to complaints that the deal in Edinburgh pre-empted the results.

Issues raised in the consultation included the proposed timetable, whether there should be weekend voting, who should oversee the running of the referendum and what the spending limits should be.

The agreement in Edinburgh means the Scottish Parliament will legislate for the date of the referendum, whether to reduce the voting age to 16, the wording of the question, campaign finance rules and the conduct of the referendum.