4Postal voting applications: report at closing date
(1)The Scottish Ministers must prepare a report, using the most recent information available as at 7 April 2021, setting out—
(a)the number of persons who are registered to vote at the 2021 election,
(b)the number of persons who have been granted a postal vote for the election, and
(c)the number of applications for a postal vote for the election which have been received but not determined.
(2)The report—
(a)must specify any funding provided to local authorities by the Scottish Ministers for the purpose of ensuring that electoral registration officers have adequate resources to deal with any increase in applications for a postal vote for the 2021 election arising as a result of coronavirus,
(b)may include such further information relating to postal voting at the 2021 election as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.
(3)The Scottish Ministers must prepare and publish the report and lay it before the Scottish Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable after 7 April 2021.
(4)In subsection (2)(a), “electoral registration officer” means an officer appointed under section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1983.