Minutes: 01 December 2021

1. Consideration of continued petitions:

Before moving to agenda item 1 the Convener asked Marie McNair MSP if she had any relevant interests to declare. Marie McNair MSP declared that she is a councillor with West Dunbartonshire Council.  

The Committee will consider the following continued petitions—

PE1853: Introduce a lifeline ferry service from Campbeltown to Ardrossan.  The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that the construction of the MV Glen Sannox is expected to be delivered between 25 July 2022 and 25 September 2022 and this new vessel provides an opportunity to provide a year-round service subject to a robust business case and funding; A full consultation with communities and other stakeholders will be carried out in 2022 as part of the Islands Connectivity Plan, and this will include consideration of all CHFS and Northern Isles routes. 

PE1856: Support the taxi trade. The Committee agreed to write to taxi owner associations, taxi driver unions and COSLA. 

PE1859: Retain falconers rights to practice upland falconry in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. 

PE1863: Mandatory annual cancer blood test from the age of 55. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that there is currently no single blood test to detect cancer in patients without symptoms, therefore national screening is not yet possible and work is underway to identify the scope for a single blood test. In closing the petition, the Committee agreed to write to the NHS Galleri Trial. 

PE1866: Introduce legislation to improve bus travel for wheelchair users. The Committee agreed to write to Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP. 

PE1870: Ensure teachers of autistic pupils are appropriately qualified. The Committee agreed to write to teaching unions.  

PE1875: Public inquiry into the Scottish Qualifications Authority. The Committee agreed to keep this petition open, pending the announcement of the Covid-19 public inquiry’s terms of reference. 

2. Consideration of new petitions:

The Committee will consider the following new petitions—

PE1904: Change Scots law to disqualify estranged spouses from making claims on an estate. The Committee agreed to write to the Law Society of Scotland, the Family Law Association, the Faculty of Advocates and the Scottish Law Commission. 

PE1905: Public Inquiry into the response of religious organisations to allegations of child sexual abuse since 1950. The Committee agreed to invite the petitioner to give evidence to the Committee. It also agreed to write to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.  

PE1907: Provide funded early learning & childcare for all 2 year olds in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to key stakeholders including Early Years Scotland, the National Day Nurseries Association, Parenting Across Scotland and COSLA. 

PE1910: Amend the forthcoming legal requirement to have interlinked fire and smoke alarms in small houses. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.  

PE1911: Review of Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 as it relates to post-mortems. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and the Royal College of Pathologists.