To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has met Scottish Ministers to discuss the Electoral Commission’s statutory review of the Scottish parliamentary elections. (145653)

My right hon. Friend and I have not had any discussions with Scottish Ministers on this issue. The Electoral Commission and its statutory review are both independent of Government. The Commission is only bound by statute to report on the Scottish Parliament election but, at the request of Scottish Ministers, will also include the Scottish local government election.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he was consulted on the final ballot papers adopted for the Scottish parliamentary elections in May which were issued to voters. (145654)

Returning Officers were not required to consult the Secretary of State on the final ballot papers issued to voters for the Scottish Parliament elections in May. The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2007 sets out the rules that Returning Officers are required to follow in printing the ballot paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what level of consultation was undertaken with political parties about the design and format of ballot papers used in the Glasgow and Lothian regions for the recent Scottish parliamentary elections. (145655)

There is no duty on Returning Officers to consult political parties on the design of ballot papers to be used in their area. They are required only to follow the statutory requirements for ballot papers laid out in the Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2007. These statutory requirements, debated and agreed by Parliament, were finalised following a substantial consultation process, including a public consultation exercise which all political parties were invited to respond to. Many, though not all, political parties in Scotland responded to that consultation.