Chamber and committees

What are the main challenges in meeting the recommendations of the Cass report in Scotland?

Good morning. Will the witnesses detail the differences and similarities between Scotland and England in the approach to the care and treatment of young people with gender dysphoria/incongruence?

Would the committee consider closing the petition, under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that the motorway and trunk road budget increased in real terms as part of the 2024-25 budget? Transport Scotland has previously provided information about operating companies’ obligation to inspect the trunk road network twice weekly, with all category 1 defects required to be made safe by 6 am the following morning and to be permanently repaired within 28 days, with repairs being fully funded by the Scottish Government. It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources that are available to them.

The committee could consider closing the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that the Scottish Government has introduced legislation that gives local authorities the powers to increase council tax on second homes and empty homes.

Considering that the Criminal Justice Committee is looking at the issue as part of its pre-budget scrutiny and will continue to do so and take evidence, I ask the committee to consider closing the petition under rule 15.7, on the grounds that the issues that are raised by the petition were explored by the Criminal Justice Committee as part of its pre-budget scrutiny for the 2024-25 budget, with the committee gathering further evidence on the current challenges and proposed reforms of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in September 2024.

Considering the response from the Scottish Government, I ask the committee to consider closing the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders on the basis that the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 was not intended to apply to property factors that are solely concerned with providing services to commercial property owners; that the Scottish Government has no plans to amend the 2011 act to encompass the relationship between property factors and commercial property owners; and that disputes between businesses and commercial property factors can be dealt with in the normal court system and businesses should seek independent legal advice to determine what action may be available to them to resolve the dispute.

Could we consider writing to the Scottish Government to seek an update on the Gaelic officer scheme following the funded six-month extension and subsequent reporting from Bòrd na Gàidhlig?

I agree with your comments. Could the committee write to the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health to ask whether clinicians and staff at neonatal intensive care units were consulted before the decision to centralise services was taken; whether the Scottish Government has considered the impact of the distance between home and hospital on the wider family, particularly other children, and what steps it is taking to mitigate any impact; whether she is confident that ScotSTAR has sufficient resources to respond to all transport requests following the introduction of the new care model; and how the new model will affect care for high-risk babies not born at a hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit, between birth and transfer to such a unit?

I ask the committee to consider closing the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that the Scottish Government is working in partnership with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to deliver digital evidence-sharing capability, and that it plans to fully fund that work for 10 years.

Would the committee be inclined to write to the national services division to seek clarification on its approach to applications in 2024-25 and to ask for information about its funding position for 2025-26?