Minutes: 20 March 2024

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 4 and 5 in private.

2. Consideration of continued petitions:

The Committee considered the following continued petitions—

PE1933: Allow the Fornethy Survivors to access Scotland’s redress scheme and took evidence from—

Shona Robison - Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance

Lyndsay Wilson, Unit Head - Policy and Communications, Redress, Relations and Response Division

Barry McCaffrey, Lawyer, Scottish Government Legal Directorate, Children, Education, Rights Incorporation and Disclosure Division

and then considered—

PE1865: Suspend all surgical mesh and fixation devices. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care and to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.

PE1953: Review Education Support staff roles. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.

PE1960: Formally recognise private hire cars and taxis as modes of public transport. The Committee agreed to close the petition, under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

PE1961: Make it a specific offence to assault, threaten or abuse a private hire or taxi driver while at work. The Committee agreed to close the petition, under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

PE2016: Raise awareness of Thrombosis in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care.

PE2018: Recognise the value of swimming pools and provide financial relief to help keep pools open. The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport.

PE1906: Investigate options for removing and reducing the impact of the central Glasgow section of the M8. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

3. Consideration of new petitions:

The Committee considered the following new petitions—

PE2063: Increase funding for local authorities to enable better management and protection of conservation areas. The Committee agreed to close the petition under rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. In closing the petition, the Committee also agreed to write to the Scottish Government.

PE2067: Improve data on young people affected by conditions causing Sudden Cardiac Death. The Committee agreed to write to CRY - Cardiac Risk in the Young, Save a Life for Scotland, British Heart Foundation, St John Scotland, Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, the UK National Screening Committee, the Network for Inherited Cardiac Conditions (NICCS) and the Scottish Government.

PE2068: Review and cap public sector senior management salaries. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. 

PE2070: Stop same-day-only GP appointment systems. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and to NHS regional health boards.

4. Consideration of evidence (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 2.

5. Work programme (In Private):

The Committee considered its work programme.