THE issue of votes for 16-year-olds in the independence referendum has prompted strong pleas that information for school students must be even-handed.

Labour MSPs are demanding that Scotland's schools receive non-partisan teaching materials to help prepare youngsters for the first foray of 16 and 17-year-olds into full political life at the independence referendum in 2014.

Patricia Ferguson said: "Resources and guidance need to be made available to schools and colleges by the Scottish Government in a non-partisan way and should involve the Electoral Commission."

As the party's constitutional affairs spokeswoman, she added: "There has to be care in ensuring that a balanced debate is conducted in our schools."

A spokesperson for Yes Scotland said: "We support the proposal to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in the independence referendum, because it is the right thing to do and represents a progressive democratic development.

"Engaging younger people in the debate about Scotland's future can only be a good thing. The proposal is about allowing younger people the right to have a say in the future of their country."

The No campaign agreed. A spokesman for Better Together said: "If the vote is extended to include 16 and 17-year-olds, it is important that they are as fully engaged as every other part of the electorate."

Scottish Conservative education spokeswoman, Liz Smith, said: "Pupils in schools across Scotland are already taught politics through Modern Studies. Issues related to the referendum will clearly be part of that process."

l Extending the franchise to allow 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in the Scottish independence referendum could be open to legal challenge, one of Scotland's leading human rights advocates claimed yesterday.

Niall McCluskey said changes could create a "legal mess", that could fall foul of human rights law and end up before the Court of Session in Edinburgh.