By Suzanna Kerridge, 20 January 1999 18:18
NEWS The UK government has confirmed that the new Scottish Parliament will use electronic voting. In a government blueprint for the Edinburgh body, Scottish secretary Donald Dewar said it is swapping the conventions and arcane details of Westminster for a more technologically aware image. The report - Shaping Scotland's Parliament - has been published by the Consultative Steering Group, the body charged with formulating the Scottish Parliament. A Scottish Office spokesman said: "We want to draw on the good points, but also make improvements to embrace technology. We very much want to use all the modern technology available." He confirmed the Parliament is in the middle of contracting firms to roll out the project. Work is already underway at the Parliament's temporary site, Lothian Region Council Chambers, which will act as committee rooms for the Parliament opening ceremony on 1 July. However, the findings of the steering committee were not confined to the voting system. Recommendations have been made to electronically link the new Scottish Parliament with government offices in Westminster, Wales and Northern Ireland. Provision of IT systems support for all Parliamentary members and online access for the public is also being proposed.
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