Commentary Conduct Section 11 - Expenses of counting officers
107.Section 11 deals with the expenses incurred by counting officers and the CCO. Counting officers, including the CCO, can recover their costs from the Scottish Ministers, up to a maximum amount to be set out in regulations made by the Scottish Ministers. These regulations (which are not subject to negative or affirmative procedure and which must therefore be laid before Parliament before coming into force under section 30 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010) may include provision for counting officers to submit accounts of expenses to Scottish Ministers before payments are made. The regulations can specify the deadline for submitting accounts, and the form and manner in which they are to be submitted. The Scottish Ministers may pay in excess of the maximum amount as long as the charges and expenses were reasonable. The Scottish Ministers may provide monies in advance to the CCO and counting officers if they consider it appropriate to do so.