Minutes: 26 November 2025

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 4 and 5 in private.

2. Consideration of continued petitions:

The Committee considered the following continued petition—  

• PE2099: Stop the proposed centralisation of specialist neonatal units in NHS Scotland. The Committee took evidence from—

• Dr Stephen Wardle, President, British Association of Perinatal Medicine 

and then from— 

• Jim Crombie, Co-Chair, Perinatal Subgroup 

• Dr Andrew Murray, Co-Chair, Perinatal Subgroup 

Fergus Ewing indicated that his partner is a senior anaesthetist in the NHS. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence heard at a future meeting.  

The Committee then considered— 

• PE1723: Essential tremor treatment in Scotland. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

• PE1871: Full review of mental health services. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

• PE2017: Extend the period that specialist perinatal mental health support is made available beyond one year. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

• PE2070: Stop same-day-only GP appointment systems. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

• PE1911: Review of Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 as it relates to post-mortems. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

• PE1962: Stop motorhomes parking overnight out with formal campsites, caravan parks and Aires. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

• PE1976: Backdate council tax discounts for dementia to the date of GP certification. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. In closing the petition, the Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government. 

• PE2130: Make it illegal to remove all the hair from a horse’s tail. The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity.  

• PE2132: Publish a timeline for the dualling of the A96 between Inverness and Nairn by Easter 2025. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport. 

• PE2135: Implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in Scottish legislation. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

• PE2146: Allow the use of privately sourced donor eggs in NHS funded IVF treatment. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

• PE2140: Introduce a parking badge for pregnant women. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

3. Consideration of new petitions:

The Committee considered the following new petitions—

• PE2188: Extend the National Entitlement Card scheme to include ferry travel for people aged 60 and over. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport.

• PE2187: Reinstate 6-monthly dental check-ups for state pensioners. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

• PE2180: Review the procedures and case progress timelines for the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

• PE2183: Make Suicide Awareness and Prevention training mandatory for high school students. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

• PE2185: Introduce stronger safeguards around the use of digital material in court proceedings. The Committee agreed to write to the Lord Advocate and to the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.

4. Consideration of evidence:

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 2.

5. Work programme:

The Committee considered its work programme and agreed to add an extra Committee meeting to its schedule.