SNP MSP Bob Doris, a member of the Local Government and Communities Committee, has today (Wednesday) written to the new Secretary of State for Scotland asking if he will change the Scotland Office's position on the devolution of electoral controls to Scotland.

The previous Scotland Office Ministers rejected calls from independent elections expert Rob Gould for control of elections to the Scottish Parliament to be transferred to Holyrood, despite cross party support for the move in the Scottish Parliament.

In his letter to Mr Doris wrote: "The Scottish Parliament will debate this issue on Thursday and it would be a welcome indication of the constructive relationship you offer if the Scotland Office were to give its support to the devolution of responsibilities for Scottish Parliament elections to the Scottish Parliament."

Speaking ahead of the debate on Thursday Mr Doris said: "To date the Scotland Office has remained opposed to transferring powers despite clear calls for legislation and administration of elections to be held in one place to avoid the chaos of the 2007 elections.

"Transferring electoral powers would offer a clear opportunity to address the problems faced in 2007 and to rebuild confidence in the electoral system.

"The Scottish Government has already taken what measures it can to improve the electoral system with a bill on local government elections due this year.

"The new Scottish secretary has promised to work constructively with the Scottish Government.

"The issue of responsibility for elections is a prime opportunity for him to demonstrate this new approach and to support devolving powers over elections to the Scottish Parliament in time for their inclusion in the new legislation."

Notes:

The letter to Jim Murphy is as follows:

Dear Jim

Firstly congratulations on your appointment as Secretary of State for Scotland. Your public commitment to work constructively with the Scottish Parliament and Government is welcome and, as a Glasgow MSP, I particularly welcome your support for further investment of lottery money in Scotland's Commonwealth Games Legacy. I hope you are able to support the cross-party call for £150 million of lottery spending to be directed to that purpose.

In the spirit of constructive dialogue on matters relating to Scotland I am writing to encourage you to re-examine the position adopted by your predecessors in relation to reforming elections in Scotland, the recommendations of the Gould report and the devolution of legislative and administrative control of elections to the Scottish Parliament.

It was a source of disappointment that the previous Scotland Office team failed to support this key recommendation.

The Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Parliament's Local Government Committee have both endorsed the recommendation that control over elections be assigned to one body with the Scottish Parliament being the most appropriate body.

Whilst I understand the Scottish and UK Government's have made constructive progress on other issues related to the legislative and administrative control of elections the control of elections to the Scottish Parliament remains an issue which I believe requires further consideration by the UK Government.

The Scottish Parliament will debate this issue on Thursday and it would be a welcome indication of the constructive relationship you offer if the Scotland Office were to give its support to the devolution of responsibilities for Scottish Parliament elections to the Scottish Parliament enabling forthcoming legislation on this issue to encompass all the measures required for the Scottish Parliament to take control of elections to Holyrood.

Yours sincerely

Bob Doris MSP