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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 16 June 2025
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Displaying 544 contributions

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Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 19 March 2025

Maurice Golden

I feel that we have run out of steam, unfortunately, so I recommend closing the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders on the basis that the Scottish Government does not consider that there is a need to clarify the definition of protected animals in the 2006 act and the associated guidance, and that it considers the sheep on St Kilda to be protected by the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, in the same way as any unowned and unmanaged population of wild deer are.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 19 March 2025

Maurice Golden

That is correct. I was looking out for my next pedigree pooch. [Laughter.]

The issue is already covered by existing legislation, but there are precedents for the Parliament going beyond what is already covered by legislation. I think that we should follow up—at least once more, or perhaps finally—by writing to local authorities to seek information on each local authority’s policy on the presence and behaviour of dogs in cemeteries, the number of complaints received in relation to the behaviour of dogs in cemeteries and whether there is any monitoring of cemetery usage. In many parts of Scotland, for lots of people—dog walkers or otherwise—a cemetery is a place where they can access green space. It would be interesting to find out whether local authorities are looking into that, and it would be interesting to know whether any fines have been issued in relation to breaching the current legislation in cemeteries.

10:30  

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 19 February 2025

Maurice Golden

To round off some of the discussion, what is the minister’s assessment of how the legislation allows access to justice?

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 19 February 2025

Maurice Golden

Just to be clear, is it the Scottish Government’s position that the current approach allows for a justice system that is up to date, fair and respects the rights and diverse needs of users?

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 19 February 2025

Maurice Golden

I am sure that we all appreciate that we are running down the clock in this parliamentary session. Is there any more detail on how and when that response might be published?

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 19 February 2025

Maurice Golden

Unfortunately for the petitioner, we have reached the end of the road with the petition. The one positive aspect is that the petition called on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government

“to expand universal free school meals provision for all nursery, primary and secondary school pupils.”

As you have highlighted, convener, that has been secured. We therefore have no choice but to close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that a debate on a non-binding motion has taken place, the Scottish Government has reaffirmed its commitment to rolling out the next phase of the free school meals programme to primary 6 and 7 pupils who are in receipt of the Scottish child payment, and it continues to work closely with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that the capital work that is required to support the expansion of free school meals can begin. The Government is also considering initial views on a pilot for universal free school meals in secondary schools.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 19 February 2025

Maurice Golden

Particularly at this point in the parliamentary session, it is unacceptable not to have a timeline in place. We should write to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to highlight the time that has elapsed; request an update and a timeline for the Scottish Government’s work, including the stakeholder engagement and public consultation; and, critically, ask whether that will be concluded in the current session. Perhaps we could consider inviting the cabinet secretary to give evidence on the petition at a future meeting.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 19 February 2025

Maurice Golden

What is the Scottish Government’s view on the Competition and Market Authority’s report and its position that the current system of private management of housing estates might lead to consumer detriment?

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 19 February 2025

Maurice Golden

I agree with everything that Mr Ewing has said.

I was slightly concerned by the evidence that we took regarding the marketing of and communication about BE FAST rather than FAST. In that regard, I wonder if we could write to the Chartered Institute of Marketing, first to ask whether there is any evidence about whether the addition of two letters to a four-letter word makes any difference to people remembering that term and secondly to find out whether there is any evidence about the effect that adding two letters has on meaning. That might be useful evidence to obtain.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

New Petitions

Meeting date: 19 February 2025

Maurice Golden

I think that the petition definitely requires further investigation. On that basis, we should write to the Scottish Government, seeking an update on its work with health boards on developing a plan for patients waiting for delayed reconstructive surgery. Furthermore, we should ask what information is available on the capacity of specialised plastic surgeons and whether the Government has considered how any gaps in the availability of specialised plastic surgery services can be addressed. Finally, we should seek an update on the Government’s commitment to exploring the publication of data on the current waiting times for breast reconstruction surgery.