Skip to main content

Language: English / Gàidhlig

Loading…

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.  

Criathragan Hide all filters

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 9 May 2025
Select which types of business to include


Select level of detail in results

Displaying 696 contributions

|

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Cross-Party Group

Meeting date: 24 November 2022

Alexander Stewart

I thank Mr Kerr for his very passionate presentation about ice sport. He identified that there are really good reasons to celebrate it but that there are huge challenges for the sector. Lots of local authorities have a sports council to support and promote individuals progressing through any of these sports, but the biggest challenge is in trying to find facilities that they can go to. As Liam Kerr identified, many local authorities may not be in a strong financial position. One of the biggest issues is that people sometimes have to travel vast distances to find a facility that they can use in order to train regularly. Have you had any correspondence or negotiations with sport councils about what they are considering to ensure that the ice sport sector is given the priority that it deserves across the country?

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 23 November 2022

Alexander Stewart

You have summarised the process well, convener. At this stage, there is not much requirement for the committee to take things further. It would therefore be appropriate to close the petition under rule 15.7 of the standing orders. As you have indicated, the First Minister has apologised to the women who were convicted, Natalie Don is continuing to progress her member’s bill, and the petitioner has indicated that plans are being taken forward for a national memorial. Under those circumstances, there is not much point in the committee progressing things, because they have already moved on considerably since the petition was lodged.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

New Petitions

Meeting date: 23 November 2022

Alexander Stewart

I note the petitioner’s comments, and it is also interesting to see the information that has come back from the Scottish Government. Looking at the permitted development rights on digital infrastructure, I am not sure that, in reality, we can take the petition much further. Therefore, I propose that we close it under rule 15.7 of standing orders on the basis that the Scottish Government has recently reviewed and updated the permitted development rights for digital infrastructure, considered its position and struck “an appropriate balance” and that there are no current plans for further amendments to those rights.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 23 November 2022

Alexander Stewart

You have already alluded to the fact that potential gaps still exist around the MAT standards. Is anything still needed to ensure that the standards are fully implemented and working as intended?

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 23 November 2022

Alexander Stewart

Did the Scottish Government consult with the Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce on the evidence gap that was identified regarding prescription medication being made available to individuals who are in custody? If so, what progress has been made on that?

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 23 November 2022

Alexander Stewart

I concur. As you have identified, the petition has been quite a harrowing one for the individuals involved. Without question, a gap seems to have arisen, and it would be appropriate for us to recommend that we have a specific statutory offence to alleviate some of the problems that have been identified.

Fergus Ewing is correct when he talks about the difficulties that individuals have suffered in going through this process. The difficulties have been exacerbated and aggravated by circumstances and situations in the agencies that are there to provide support. There needs to be some clarity there. Going down this route might give us the opportunity to ensure that some of the problems are ironed out and that individuals who go through the process do not suffer the same consequences that others have.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 23 November 2022

Alexander Stewart

I, too, thank Monica Lennon for her presentation; she made some very valid points on the petitioner’s behalf about the way forward.

Convener, you have identified that advertising is one of the biggest issues. There is a need to find out what action is being taken. These days, when someone purchases a ticket, nine times out of 10 it is not from an individual but through a machine. The machine tells them what the price of the ticket is, so they are not necessarily able to understand what options are available. They hit the button and it tells them what they can have. That process may not give them the cheapest or best-value ticket. Some of that needs to be looked at.

We have talked about technology and ensuring that developments can be made, but there is room for improvement as to how that can be managed on the ground.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 23 November 2022

Alexander Stewart

You have identified that there is a postcode lottery for some services, depending on location and geographical situations and circumstances. That is important because, if services are not fully implemented and working collectively across the whole estate and the whole country, there will be massive gaps for individuals, who are at risk if they are in that situation.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 23 November 2022

Alexander Stewart

Is it correct to say that the gap was identified during the process?

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 23 November 2022

Alexander Stewart

I am disappointed that neither Callum nor the committee has received any further information. There was a huge amount of publicity around Callum’s coming to the committee to give evidence that day, and I would have hoped for such a young inspiring individual to be treated slightly better than that. However, we are where we are.

It is now time to write back to the First Minister to seek an update on where we are with the petition. When we had Callum here to receive the petition, there was a real buzz about the possibility of his ask becoming a reality, because he had put so much effort into it. It is disappointing that that effort has not been given the full credit that it deserves.

We need to write back to the First Minister and invite the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport to give evidence on where the petition might be going, in order to fulfil the aims that Callum put forward. His objectives and ambition were fantastic, and we should encourage them as much as we can to ensure that his dream becomes a reality.