To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions have taken place since the Scottish Parliamentary elections in May between the Secretary of State and returning officers on the process of auto-adjudication used during the counting process. (155096)

[holding answer 10 September 2007]: None. The decision on the content of the user agreement in relation to how the system dealt with ballot papers, including auto-adjudication, was the responsibility of returning officers and the e-counting provider. The Scotland Office did not take any decisions on the inclusion of auto-adjudication. These matters will come within the scope of the independent review of the recent Scottish elections led by Mr. Ron Gould.