Minutes: 05 February 2025

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:  

PE2048: Review the FAST stroke awareness campaign. The Committee heard evidence from— 

• Sophie Bridger, Policy and Campaigns Manager, Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland 
• Michael Dickson OBE, Chief Executive, Scottish Ambulance Service 
• Professor Arshad Majid, University of Sheffield 
• John Watson, Associate Director, Scotland, Stroke Association 

and then from— 

• Dr Ron Cook, Medical Director, NHS 24 
• Professor Mary Joan Macleod, University of Aberdeen 
• Professor William Whiteley, University of Edinburgh 

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

PE1812: Protect Scotland's remaining ancient, native and semi-native woodlands and woodland floors. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. In closing the petition, the Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.  

PE1979: Establish an independent inquiry and an independent national whistleblowing officer to investigate concerns about the alleged mishandling of child safeguarding enquiries by public bodies. The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, and to write to the General Teaching Council for Scotland. 

PE2035: Recognise legal control of generalist predators as a conservation act. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. In closing the petition, the Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity. 

PE2056: Introduce legislation allowing Scottish Ministers to intervene on the hire of public land. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. 

PE2058: Require all dog boarding kennels to install smoke detectors, smoke alarms and sprinkler systems. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

PE2065: Improve and prioritise pedestrian safety. 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:

PE2121: Run a targeted roadside litter awareness campaign. Maurice Golden declared that he was a donor to the ‘Dunna Chuck Bruck’ environmental awareness initiative. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. 

PE2124: Keep private and work place pensions out of divorce. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders. 

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 2. 

4. Consideration of Evidence:

5. Work programme:

The Committee considered its work programme and agreed to consider petition PE2132: Publish a timeline for the dualling of the A96 between Inverness and Nairn ahead of the Committee’s evidence session on road transport petitions with the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity. The Committee agreed to seek to trial the use of a pro forma for Scottish Government responses to new petitions, and delegate authority to the clerks to liaise with the Government’s Parliamentary Liaison Unit on practical arrangements for this approach. The Committee agreed to schedule the evidence session with Police Scotland on petition PE1876: Accurately record the sex of people charged or convicted of rape or attempted rape in autumn 2025 when it is expected that Police Scotland will have completed its review of sex and gender. The Committee agreed its approach to engagement on petition PE2099: Stop the proposed centralisation of specialist neonatal units in NHS Scotland.