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I am particularly interested in Mr Choudhury’s suggestion in relation to the Care Inspectorate, which I think is quite right. “Adequate and suitable” is very vague terminology, and I would have thought that it is certainly not a benchmark against which any definable standard introduction could be monitored.

We will close the petition. Unfortunately from the petitioner’s point of view, we have to have a realistic expectation of taking matters forward, and the Government advice is very clear in relation to vaccinations and the empirical evidence basis for them.

I was going to ask whether you are a witness or are asking questions of the witnesses, Mr Ewing. [Laughter.]

Just before I ask whether any of you have anything further to offer, I wonder, following on from the exchange with Mr Ewing, whether there has been any further contact with the Scottish Government, beyond the two instances that have been referenced. In fact, before we meet and have the opportunity to put these issues to the minister, can you say whether it is, as far as we are publicly aware, still the Government’s position that it has no plans to do anything or that this is something that is very much on the back burner? Is that still its perception, as you see it?

PE1926, which was lodged by Alison Dowling, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to expand universal free school meals provision for all nursery, primary and secondary school pupils. It was last considered by the committee at our meeting on 28 June 2023. At that point, we agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities notes that planning is under way for the delivery of expansion of free school meals to pupils in primary 6 and primary 7, with the school estate’s readiness to accommodate the expansion looking significantly different depending on each individual school. It has also been clear that, in order for the expansion to be deliverable, the full resource and capital costs of the programme must be provided by the Scottish Government. The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities does not have an agreed position on further expansion to include secondary school pupils, but it noted that any new commitments in the area would require full resourcing to enable successful delivery.

The cabinet secretary stated that it is her priority to roll out universal provision of free school meals to primary 6 and primary 7 pupils, starting with those who are in receipt of the Scottish child payment. The response also indicates that the Scottish Futures Trust surveyed the resource and capital needs of local authorities to deliver a phased roll-out of free school meal provision.

Since our last consideration of the petition, the 2023-24 programme for government has been published, with a commitment referring only to the roll-out of universal free school meal provision to primary 6 and primary 7 during 2026, with no further mention of the plans to deliver a pilot in secondary schools.

In the light of that, do members have any suggested options for action?

We would particularly like to know whether that is the case, given that that was a Government commitment.

Are colleagues content with the proposals from Mr Golden?

Members indicated agreement.

PE1956 seeks to increase the provision of wheelchair-accessible homes. The petition has been lodged by Louise McGee and calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to review the existing wheelchair-accessible housing target guidance, and to explore options for increasing the availability of wheelchair-accessible housing in Scotland.

The petition was last considered on 28 June, when we agreed to write to the Scottish Government and to organisations involved with the “Dying in the Margins” exhibition. The Scottish Government has responded to say:

“Good progress has been made by local authorities in not only setting wheelchair accessible housing targets but in delivering more wheelchair accessible homes.”

As a result, the Government has no plans to review the wheelchair-accessible housing target guidance at this time.

The response also notes the Scottish Government’s

“consultation on proposed changes to Part 1 of the Housing for Varying Needs design guide”,

which will

“continue to provide design criteria for housing designed specifically for wheelchair users.”

We have also received submissions from academics involved in the “Dying in the Margins” study and from the end-of-life charity Marie Curie, which share information on the impact of inadequate housing on those who are nearing the end of life and who are diagnosed with a terminal illness.

The responses also set out the recommendations that national and local government should address the housing needs of terminally ill people and their families and carers. Many members of the committee understand that there is not much point in a response coming after a terminal illness has run its course and the person who needs housing is, unfortunately, no longer with us. Responses must be prompt and decisive.

Notwithstanding all that, do members have any comments or suggested actions in respect of the aims of the petition?

Our next petition is PE2033, on introducing a full ban on disposable vapes. My apologies, but I have a bit of an introduction to make for this one.

The petition was lodged by Jordon Anderson and calls on the Parliament to urge the Government to legislate for a full or partial ban on disposable vapes in Scotland and to recognise the dangers that the devices pose to both the environment and the health of young people.

I am conscious that there is quite a public debate around the whole issue of vapes, so it is important that I set out the following information.

We previously considered the petition at our meeting on 4 October last year, and we agreed to write to the Scottish Government and Action on Smoking and Health (Scotland)—known as ASH Scotland—Forest, representatives of the UK vaping industry and other vape manufacturers.

We have received a response from the Scottish Government, which notes that its commitment to consult on a proposed ban on single-use vapes has been taken forward through the four-nations joint consultation, which ran from 12 September to 6 December 2023.

We have also received a submission from ASH Scotland, which notes its support for a ban on disposable e-cigarettes and provides survey data on the increase in the number of young people using disposable e-cigarettes.

Responses have also been received from the Independent British Vape Trade Association and the UK Vaping Industry Association, both of which caution against the unintended consequences of banning an entire vaping product category and argue that a ban on single-use vapes would have a detrimental impact on adults trying to quit smoking.

I also draw members’ attention to the publication of draft regulations to ban the sale and supply of disposable vapes, which were published in February and are expected to come into force next April, and to the ministerial statement provided to Parliament just a few weeks ago, on 26 March, updating us on the Scottish Government’s work to tackle youth vaping.

We have also received a submission from the petitioner, expressing scepticism about Scotland’s aim to be tobacco-free in the next 10 years and suggesting that marketing campaigns are not enough to deter young people from vaping. Although the petitioner welcomes the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to the UK Parliament, he is concerned that regulation of online sales of vaping products has not been included in the bill.

It may also be pertinent to note the actions to control tobacco consumption that are currently being progressed by the UK Government at the Westminster Parliament.

In light of those various initiatives and the responses that we have received, do members have any suggestions about how we might now proceed?

Thank you, Mr Ewing. Are there any other suggestions?

We could include a question to the minister about what efforts are being made to promote the valuable work that gamekeepers do and the contribution that they make. Are we content with those proposals?

Members indicated agreement.