Minutes: 20 September 2023

Wednesday, 20 September 2023

13th Meeting, 2023

Start time: 09:30am

End time: 10:32am

Location: T1.40-CR5 The Smith Room

Published: Wednesday, 20 September 2023

Committee Member attendees:

Apologies received from:

Also present:

Mark Ruskell and Paul Sweeney (item 3).

Minutes

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed that consideration of its policy on written submissions should be taken in private at a future meeting.

2. Consideration of continued petitions:

The Committee considered the following continued petitions—

PE1856: Support the taxi trade. The Committee agreed to write to Transport Scotland, the petitioner and Glasgow City Council.

PE1919: Prohibit sale of high caffeine products to children for performance enhancement. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.

PE1966: Formally recognise and incorporate local knowledge in Scottish Government policy. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and NatureScot.

PE1976: Backdate council tax discounts for dementia to the date of GP certification. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.

PE1977: Require social services to inform biological fathers of concerns about their children. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

PE1982: Review funding arrangements for higher education to help ensure more funded places are available for Scottish ballet dancers at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

3. Consideration of new petitions:

The Committee considered the following new petitions—

PE2028: Extend the concessionary bus travel scheme to include people seeking asylum in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, the Scottish Refugee Council and the Refugee Survival Trust.

PE2029: Nationalise Clydeport to bring the ports and harbours on the river Clyde into public ownership. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, BAE Systems, the Malin Group, Ferguson Marine, Maritime UK, Peel Ports Group Ltd, British Ports Association, UK Chamber of Shipping, Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), CalMac Ferries Ltd, Glasgow City Council, Inverclyde Council and North Ayrshire Council.

PE2030: Review cultural funding arrangements to enable Scotland to contribute to the Venice Biennale in 2024. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland.

PE2031: Provide insulin pumps to all children with type 1 diabetes in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to Diabetes Scotland, the Insulin Pump Awareness Group and NHS regional health boards.