Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Meeting Minutes
3rd Meeting, 2023
- Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2023
- Session: 6
- Location: T1.40-CR5 The Smith Room
- Meeting opened at: 09:46
- Meeting closed at: 11:57
- Published: Thursday, May 18, 2023 09:22am
Also Present
Murdo Fraser, Rhoda Grant
1 Decision on taking business in private:
The Committee agreed to take item 4 in private.
2 Consideration of continued petitions:
The Committee considered the following continued petitions—
PE1948: Improve the way that unexplained deaths are dealt with. The Committee heard evidence from Stephanie Bonner. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence heard at a future meeting.
PE1896: Provide every primary school child in Scotland with a reusable water bottle and heard evidence from the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity and Laura Meikle, Head of Support and Wellbeing Unit. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence heard at a future meeting.PE1862: Introduce community representation on boards of public organisations delivering lifeline services to island communities The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Transport.
PE1913: Fast-track future Adult Disability Payment applications for people undergoing cancer treatment. The Committee agreed to write to Social Security Scotland.
PE1919: Ban the sale of high caffeine products to children for performance enhancement. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, and UK Athletics.
PE1926: Expand universal free school meals for all nursery, primary and secondary school pupils. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.
PE1934: Develop an educational resource on gender-based violence for all year groups in High School. The Committee agreed to write to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), Rape Crisis Scotland, and the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.
3 Consideration of new petitions:
The Committee considered the following new petitions—
PE1969: Amend the law to fully decriminalise abortion in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to stakeholder organisations and civil society groups including British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Sexual Health Scotland, British Medical Association, Scottish Human Rights Commission, Abortion Rights Scotland, faith organisations, and the Humanist Society Scotland.PE1984: Introduce the C100 form for child arrangement orders in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, the Law society of Scotland, Family Law Association, Relationships Scotland, Scottish Legal Aid Board, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, and the Family Law Committee of the Scottish Civil Justice Council.
PE1985: Evaluate Garages to Homes Developments. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).
PE1986: Provide testing kits for drugs in public spaces. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.
PE1987: Amend the Scotland Act 2016 to automatically trigger a by-election if an MSP/Councillor leaves their party. The Committee agreed to close this petition under rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that the Scottish Government does not plan to change the electoral system to prevent a councillor from remaining in post following their resignation from the political party they were representing when elected.
PE1991: Develop an educational resource on abortion. The Committee agreed to write to stakeholder organisations, including the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), Scottish Catholic Education Service, and Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC).
PE1992: Dual the A9 and improve road safety. The Committee agreed to invite the petitioner, and the Minister for Transport to give evidence at a future meeting. The Committee also agreed to write to organisations including the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation Scotland, the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation, Road Haulage Association, Civil Engineering Contractors Association, Inverness Chamber of Commerce, Perthshire Chamber of Commerce, and local community councils.
4 Public Participation Inquiry:
The Committee considered evidence received through its public consultation and an interim external evaluation of its Citizens' Panel process. The Committee agreed to publish the summary of evidence.