Chamber and committees

It is good to see Jackie Baillie back at the committee.

I suggest that the committee writes to the Royal Town Planning Institute, Heads of Planning Scotland, Planning Democracy, Built Environment Forum Scotland, and the Scottish Forum of Community Councils to seek their views on the actions that are called for in the petition. Would the committee also consider writing to the Scottish Government to seek an update on the progress to finalise the guidance on effective community engagement in the local development planning process?

The committee could write to the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care to ask: how, in the absence of regulation, he can be assured that independent ambulances are operating safely; how long he expects it will take to explore—and, if necessary, update—the definition of an independent ambulance service; how the regulation of independent ambulance services will be prioritised to suit other proposals for the regulation of healthcare; and for details, including a timeline, of the commencement of Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s functions in relation to the regulation of independent ambulance service provision. Lastly, the committee should ask the cabinet secretary why, after making provision for the regulation of independent ambulance services in the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, the Scottish Government decided not to commence the relevant provisions to ensure at least some regulation while additional exploratory work is undertaken.

Looking at other legal systems across the UK, do you think that the action that is being taken in England and Wales goes far enough to adequately protect journalists and campaigners?

I wonder whether the committee would consider writing to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands to ask when the Scottish Government will publish its analysis of its consultation “Tackling the nature emergency: Consultation on Scotland’s Strategic Framework for Biodiversity”. We should also seek an update on the Government’s plans to introduce a natural environment bill.

Will the committee also consider writing to the Confederation of Forest Industries to highlight the petitioners’ latest submission and to seek information on the action that the forestry industry is taking to remove invasive non-native species and ensure the protection of ancient woodlands?

As somebody who always likes to grant Jackie Baillie’s wishes, I also wonder whether the committee would add the petition to the shortlist of topics on which the committee might wish to seek parliamentary debate, and we can consider that further when the committee next meets to consider its work programme.

Does the Council of Europe initiative put pressure on the Scottish Government to do more on the issue?

Thank you for that. In drafting anti-SLAPP legislation, what are the key factors that will make it successful?

What evidence led the Scottish Government to conclude that going above a unit price of 65p would be too high for Scotland? Some people would argue that, if we increased the price above 65p per unit, that would decrease the harm from alcohol and reduce deaths.

I have no further questions, convener, because, in her opening statement, the minister answered the ones that I was going to ask.

Good morning and welcome to the fourth meeting of the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee in 2024. Our convener, Jackson Carlaw, is unable to attend the meeting today and sends his apologies, as he is attending the funeral of his constituent, a Holocaust survivor, Henry Wuga.

The first item on the agenda is a decision on taking items 4 and 5 in private. Item 4 relates to consideration of the evidence that we are about to hear on petition PE1933, and item 5 relates to consideration of the committee’s work programme. Do members agree to take those items in private?

Members indicated agreement.

The next item is the consideration of continued petitions. First, we have an evidence session on PE1933, on allowing Fornethy survivors to access Scotland’s redress scheme, which was lodged by Iris Tinto, on behalf of the Fornethy Survivors Group.

I understand that members of the survivors group have joined us in the public gallery this morning—a warm welcome to you all. As we have a very busy public gallery, I remind all those joining us this morning that you are welcome to observe the proceedings. However, you are asked to keep the noise to a minimum and not to seek to interrupt the consideration of the petition.

The petition calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to widen access to Scotland’s redress scheme to allow Fornethy survivors to seek redress. We last considered the petition at our meeting on 3 May 2023, when we agreed to invite the Deputy First Minister to give evidence, and I am pleased to welcome the Deputy First Minister, Shona Robison, to the committee this morning. We are also joined by Scottish Government officials Lyndsay Wilson, unit head of policy and communications, redress relations and response division; and Barry McCaffrey, lawyer, Scottish Government legal directorate, children, education, rights incorporation and disclosure division.

Before I invite the Deputy First Minister to make some brief opening remarks, I note that, since we last considered the petition, there has been a members’ business debate on justice for Fornethy survivors. The Scottish Government also appointed an independent researcher to make inquiries in respect of Fornethy house. The committee has been provided with a copy of the researcher’s report, which is now available on the petition webpage.

The committee has also received two new submissions from the petitioner commenting on the parliamentary debate and detailing on-going challenges in engaging with the redress scheme, highlighting the response that one survivor received that the decision panel would likely disregard their placement at Fornethy when considering the application for redress. We have also received a submission from Professor Diane McAdie, the researcher who was appointed by the Fornethy Survivors Group, providing further information on the operation of Fornethy house and potential options for amending the existing eligibility criteria for the redress scheme.

Having provided that update on where we are, I now invite the Deputy First Minister to give a brief statement.