![]() ![]() Much of the Bill is then concerned with creating a register of young voters. Clause 2 sets out four conditions to be eligible to vote in the referendum: (i) the person is over the age of 16 (ii) the person is registered in the appropriate register (iii) the person is not subject to any legal incapacity other than age and (iv) the person is either a Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a relevant citizen of the European Union (the latter being defined in Clause 12 of the Bill). The Edinburgh Agreement committed the Scottish Government to bring forward legislation to create a franchise for the referendum (para.4) and it was left to the Scottish Government to consult on extending the franchise to 16 and 17 year-olds and, if so minded, to legislate to enfranchise such individuals (para.5). The content of the Bill is now largely uncontroversial. It is a fairly short Bill, both in length and time: once enacted it will be automatically repealed on 1 January 2015 (the day by which a referendum must be held being 31 December 2014: Scotland Act 1998, sch.5, para.5A). ![]() The first measure to be brought before the Parliament earlier this week was the Scottish Independence Referendum (Franchise) Bill. The Scottish Parliament has started giving legislative effect to the Edinburgh Agreement that was signed in October 2012. ![]()
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