Minutes: 19 March 2025

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take Item 4 in private.  

2. Consideration of continued petitions:

The Committee considered the following continued petitions:

• PE1859: Retain falconers' rights to practise upland falconry in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, the Petitioner, and the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee.

• PE1953: Review Education Support staff roles. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.

• PE2028: Extend the concessionary bus travel scheme to include people seeking asylum in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.

• PE2075: Prioritise local participation in planning decisions. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.

• PE1976: Backdate council tax discounts for dementia to the date of GP certification. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.

• PE2021: Ensure the definition of protected animals in the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 applies to the sheep on St Kilda. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

• PE2074: Increase local government funding to help protect the vulnerable elderly population and prevent the closure of care homes. The Committee agreed to write to COSLA and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.

• PE2087: Pass a law making exercising a dog in a cemetery an offence. The Committee agreed to write to all local authorities in Scotland. 

3. Consideration of new petitions:

The Committee considered the following new petitions: 

• PE2133: Expand ScotRail’s Inter7City routes to include Dunfermline. The Committee agreed to write to Transport Scotland and ScotRail.

• PE2134: Introduce legislation to make it a requirement for swift bricks to be installed in all new developments in Scotland, and include swifts in building surveys. The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders.

• PE2136: Make non fatal strangulation a standalone criminal offence in Scotland. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, and to invite the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs to give evidence on the petition at a future meeting once a response has been received. 

4. Work programme:

The Committee considered its work programme. The Committee agreed its approach for the roundtable discussion on PE2018 and also agreed to finalise the witness list for this roundtable by correspondence.