Minutes: 06 December 2023

Wednesday, 06 December 2023

18th Meeting, 2023

Start time: 09:36am

End time: 11:11am

Location: T1.40-CR5 The Smith Room

Published: Friday, 08 December 2023

Also present:

Clare Adamson, Jackie Baillie, Alexander Stewart

Minutes

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:

PE1876: Accurately record the sex of people charged or convicted of rape or attempted rape, and took evidence from—

Dr Lucy Hunter Blackburn, Petitioner

Lisa Mackenzie, Petitioner

The Committee agreed to consider the evidence at a later meeting.

PE1928: Provide free rail travel for disabled people who meet the qualifications for free bus travel. The Committee agreed to close the petition under rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

PE1985: Evaluate Garages to Homes Developments. The Committee agreed to consider the petition at a future meeting.

PE1989: Increase defibrillators in public spaces and workplaces. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.

PE1995: Improve support for victims of spiking. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and Police Scotland.

PE2000: Ensure universities are held accountable to students under consumer law. The Committee agreed to close the petition under rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

PE2001: Withdraw the ‘Supporting transgender young people in schools’ guidance from Scottish schools. 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—

PE2041: Exempt community healthcare staff from parking charges. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, COSLA, the Royal College of Nursing, Unison, Unite, and the Allied Health Professionals Federation.

PE2043: Change the way gender theory is presented in schools. The Committee agreed to close the petition under rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

PE2046: Provide birth certificates for stillborn babies. The Committee agreed to close the petition under rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

PE2048: Review the FAST stroke awareness campaign. The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health, the Stroke Association, and Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.

PE2049: Introduce buffer zones outside migrant accommodation. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Refugee Council, JustRight Scotland, COSLA, Police Scotland and the Mears Group.

4. Consideration of evidence

The Committee considered the evidence it heard in Agenda Item 1.

5. Written submissions

The Committee agreed the new wording for its policy on written submissions.