Question

To ask the hon. Member for City of Chester, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what plans the Commission has to review the Independent Green Voice party entry and logo on the Scottish parliamentary election regional listing with regards to potential voter confusion with the Scottish Greens political party.

The Commission assesses whether applications to register a political party, and their indentity marks, meet the criteria set out in electoral law. This includes the requirement to ensure that voters would not likely be confused with already registered parties.

As part of its assessment process, the Commission publishes on its website a list of names, descriptions and emblems under consideration, to invite comments from the public and other parties.

Details were published on the Commission's website on 12 February 2021 of the application by Independent Green Voice to add a new emblem. No concerns were raised, and after a careful assessment process, the Commission authorised the application to register the emblem on 23 March.

The Commission has an ongoing duty to maintain the register of political parties including by reviewing registered indentity marks if relevant considerations change. However, as matters stand it is satisfied that there are clear and sufficent differences between the two parties' registered names, descriptions and emblems to avoid likely voter confusion.