Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
5th Meeting, 2021
The Committee invited Alexander Stewart to declare any relevant interests. Alexander Stewart confirmed he had no relevant interests to declare.
The Committee considered the following new petitions—
PE1876: Accurately record the sex of people charged or convicted of rape or attempted rape. The Committee agreed to write to the Police Scotland, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Equalities and Human Rights Commission, the Lord Advocate and Scottish Courts Tribunal Service.
PE1879: Provide an accessible and professionally developed learning and teaching resource on Israel and Palestine. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that the Curriculum for Excellence does not prescribe set topics and allows local authorities and individual schools to develop curricula informed by the local needs of learners; and the Scottish Government states that both it and Education Scotland consider their involvement in the resources to be closed. The Committee also agreed to bring the petition to the attention of the relevant Cross-Party Groups.
PE1885: Make offering Community Shared Ownership mandatory for all windfarm development planning proposals. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and to the Scottish Land Fund.
The Committee considered the following continued petitions—
PE1865: Suspend all surgical mesh and fixation devices, and took evidence from Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Public Health, Womens Health and Sport, David Bishop, Mesh Team Leader, Terry O’Kelly, Senior Medical Advisor, Scottish Government. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence heard at a future meeting.
PE1837: Provide clear direction and investment for autism support, and took evidence from Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, Hugh McAloon, Deputy Director for Mental Health Complex Care, and Jacqueline Campbell, Unit Head, Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence heard at a future meeting.