1. Consideration of continued petitions:
The Committee considered the following continued petitions—
PE1812: Protect Scotland’s remaining ancient, native and semi-native woodlands and woodland floors, and took evidence from Máiri McAllan, Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform and Doug Howieson, Scottish Forestry. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence heard on this petition at a future meeting.
PE1905: Public Inquiry into the response of religious organisations to allegations of child sexual abuse since 1950 and took evidence from petitioner Angela Cousins. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence heard on this petition at a future meeting.
PE1876: Accurately record the sex of people charged or convicted of rape or attempted rape. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service.
PE1884: Make whole plant cannabis oil available on the NHS or alternative funding put in place. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and the Minister for Drugs Policy.
PE1889: Financial support for self-employed people in the travel industry. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that the Scottish Government has indicated that it is in contact with representatives in the travel sector; has made additional funding available and is actively setting up a new sector specific scheme that will include self-employed people in the travel industry. In closing the petition, the Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.
PE1893: Introduce legislation to protect Scotland's war memorials. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that there is legislation currently in place to deal with the vandalism and desecration of statutes and memorials, including war memorials, and the Scottish Government has no current plans to introduce new legislation for the specific purpose requested in the petition. In closing the petition, the Committee agreed to write to Historic Environment Scotland.
PE1900: Access to prescribed medication for detainees in police custody. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. They also agreed to invite the Chair of the Scottish Drugs Death Taskforce and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans to give evidence at a future meeting.
PE1901: Replace the voting system for the Scottish Parliament with a more proportional alternative. The Committee agreed to close the petition under rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that the Scottish Government has stated that it does not currently have any plans to propose changes to the voting system by which MSPs are elected to the Scottish Parliament.
PE1907: Provide funded early learning & childcare for all 2 year olds in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.
2. Consideration of new petitions:
The Committee considered the following new petitions—
PE1918: Improve sex education in schools. The Committee agreed to write to Education Scotland. It also agree to write to the Scottish Government.
PE1922: Cancel all Local Authority expenditure on Gaelic expansion. The Committee agreed to close the petition under rule 15.7 of Standing Orders, on the basis that the Scottish Government states that the Gaelic language has been spoken throughout Scotland for many centuries; Bòrd na Gàidhlig set out a range of economic benefits of funding for Gaelic; there is cross-party support for Gaelic education, arts and broadcasting and the Scottish Government has plans to introduce a languages bill in the current parliamentary session.