Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Meeting Minutes
19th Meeting, 2022
- Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2022
- Session: 6
- Location: T1.40-CR5 The Smith Room
- Meeting opened at: 09:30
- Meeting closed at: 12:19
- Published: Thursday, March 16, 2023 11:52am
Also Present
Monica Lennon, Jackie Baillie
1 Decision on taking business in private:
2 Consideration of continued petitions:
The Committee considered the following continued petitions—
PE1859: Retain falconers rights to practice upland falconry in Scotland. The Committee took evidence from the Minister for Environment, Hugh Dignon - Head of Wildlife Management Unit, Scottish Government and Land Reform and Stan Whitaker - Wildlife Management Manager, NatureScot. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence at a future meeting.
PE1856: Support the taxi trade. The Comittee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and COSLA.
PE1909: Remove the “gender-based crime” domestic abuse narrative and make it gender neutral and equal. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that the Scottish Government is engaging and consulting on the development of the national strategy on ending intimate and sexual violence against men and boys which will be complementary to the Equally Safe Strategy and the evidence heard by the Committee.
PE1911: Review of Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 as it relates to post-mortems. The Committee agreed to invite coroners and pathologists to give evidence. It also agreed to invite the relevant Minister to give evidence on the issues raised in the petition.
PE1928: Provide free rail travel for disabled people who meet the qualifications for free bus travel. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.
3 Consideration of new petitions:
The Committee considered the following new petitions—
PE1965: Limit estranged couples’ claim on an estate after 7 years of non-medical separation. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that the Scottish Government intends to carry out more research into the law on intestate succession. In closing the petition the Committee also agreed to write to the petitioner.
PE1966: Formally recognise and incorporate local knowledge in Scottish Government policy. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and NatureScot.
PE1967: Protect Loch Lomond’s Atlantic oakwood shoreline by implementing the High Road option for the A82 upgrade between Tarbet and Inverarnan. The Committee agreed to write to Transport Scotland, Argyll and Bute Council, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and the Lochaber Chamber of Commerce.
PE1970: Create an online account for parents to manage the 1140 hours of Early Learning and Childcare funding. The Committee agreed to write to COSLA, Early Years Scotland, the Scottish Childminding Association, the National Parent Forum Scotland.
PE1971: Take Robust Action to Stop Motorcycle Theft. The Committee agreed to write to Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority, the Crown Office, and the Procurator Fiscal Service.
PE1972: Allow Assisted Dying for people with long-term mental illness and consenting capacity. The Committee agreed to close the petition under rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that Liam McArthur MSP has now earned the right to introduce a Member’s Bill on Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults; and the Scottish Government has indicated it would not support any legislation or amendment to allow Assisted Dying for people with long-term mental illness and consenting capacity. In closing the petition the Committee also agreed to write to the petitioner.
PE1973: End the use of Sheriffs Discretion when ruling on civil cases and provide clear legal guidance on division of assets. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, the Scottish Law Commission, the Law Society of Scotland, and the Family Law Association.
4 Consideration of continued petitions:
The Committee agreed correspondence to the Scottish Government on the following continued petitions—
PE1887:Create an Unborn Victims of Violence Act; and
PE1933:Allow the Fornethy Survivors to access Scotland’s redress scheme.
5 Consideration of a continued petition:
Consideration of continued petitions: PE1871: Full review of mental health services. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence at a future meeting.