Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006

2 Returns and reports on performance standards

(1) The Scottish Ministers may issue directions to returning officers to provide the Scottish Ministers with such reports regarding their level of performance against the standards determined under section 1(1) as may be specified in the direction.

(2) A direction under subsection (1)—

(a) must specify the returning officer or officers to whom it is issued,

(b) may require the report or reports to relate to such elections as may be specified in the direction, and

(c) may require the report or reports to be provided in a form specified in the direction.

(3) A report provided to the Scottish Ministers in pursuance of subsection (1) may be published by the returning officer to whom it relates.

(4) The Scottish Ministers must prepare and publish (in such manner as they may determine) assessments of the level of performance by returning officers against the standards determined under section 1(1).

(5) An assessment under subsection (4)—

(a) must specify the returning officer or officers to whom it relates,

(b) must specify the period to which it relates, and

(c) may specify the elections to which it relates.

(6) The Scottish Ministers must not prepare an assessment under subsection (4) unless they have received reports in pursuance of subsection (1) from the returning officer or officers for the matters to which the assessment relates.

(7) Before publishing an assessment under subsection (4), the Scottish Ministers must—

(a) provide to each returning officer a copy of those parts of the assessment which relate to that returning officer, and

(b) have regard to any comments made by the returning officer regarding the factual accuracy of the assessment.