Watchdog tests referendum question

Nov 9 2012

The Scottish Government's preferred question for the independence referendum will be tested by the elections watchdog, it has been confirmed.

The Government wants to ask: Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has submitted the question to the Electoral Commission, which will scrutinise it using focus groups to determine whether it is fair and easily understood, before reporting its findings.

Although the Government and parliament is not bound by the watchdog's conclusions, constitutional experts say ignoring its advice would be unusual.

The final wording will be included in the Referendum Bill which will come before Holyrood in spring 2013.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The independence referendum will meet the highest international standards. The Electoral Commission has considerable expertise in regulating referendums and elections and I have now written to them to formally request that they provide advice and assistance to the Scottish Government by considering the wording of the question that is proposed to be on the ballot paper for the Scottish independence referendum - Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?

"The recently published analysis of the 26,000 responses to the Government's consultation on the referendum revealed that 64% of respondents broadly agreed with this wording.

"The question will be tested to check that it is easy to understand, to the point and unambiguous. The Electoral Commission are experts in question testing and will use focus groups and gather views from experts in accessibility and plain language and others who have an interest in the referendum and its outcome before reporting on the proposed question.

"Once they have reported back it will then be for the Scottish Parliament to decide the final wording of the question on the ballot paper."

Speaking at Thursday's Referendum Committee in Holyrood, constitutional expert Alan Trench said the Electoral Commission's advice was "sufficiently authoritative that it should normally be followed" and "if we were to get to get to the point where Parliament didn't follow that advice that would raise very serious problems for the conduct of the referendum and respect for the outcome afterwards".