Seòmar agus comataidhean

I understand the argument about inviting the petitioner to come and make a statement. However, the petition raises no new substantive issues compared to the previous one from the same petitioner. Before we invite the petitioner to speak to us, it might be worth while asking him whether he has anything new to raise.

As someone who has been on litter picks quite recently, I am aware that many people of all ages—not just children—throw litter. Although people will congratulate and thank those who take part in a litter pick, the same area will be covered in litter again a week later. Someone is throwing litter; I do not know who. The best way to approach the subject is to increase children’s awareness of the damage that litter causes to their community, so I think that we can take something from the petition.

From our papers, I understand that

“A 12-week public consultation will take place at the end of this year, and the refreshed strategy will be published in early 2022.”

I hope that the development of that strategy will include people such as the petitioners, and I would like us to suggest that to the Scottish Government.

There should be a slowing down.

Okay. Is that also a slow-down?

Okay. Thank you for that.

Notifications for UK statutory instruments are considered only by subject committees. How many notifications do you estimate will be sent to the Parliament under “Protocol 2 on scrutiny by the Scottish Parliament of consent by Scottish Ministers to UK secondary legislation in devolved areas arising from EU Exit” between now and the end of this year?

I have a couple of questions about the secondary legislation stemming from the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. As has been mentioned, prior to the UK leaving the EU, the previous minister regularly updated the committee. On a number of occasions, he talked about the volume of secondary legislation required to fix any legislative deficiencies that stem from the withdrawal from the EU. Can you provide an estimate of the number of SSIs that require to be laid under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 to deal with the consequences of the withdrawal?

I thank Rhoda Grant for giving us that essential information. I was most struck by the fact that Dundee is available to provide such a service, but that is not being taken up. Making people who require treatment for tremors travel all the way to London causes them a great deal of discomfort, and it sounds as though it is a waste of money to do that when the treatment is available in Dundee. I think that we should get in touch with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to raise the issue and to ask why the facility in Scotland is not being used for Scottish patients.

We could write to the Scottish Government to seek an update on the outcome of the consultation, ahead of the independent review in 2023, which is a wee while away yet. It would be good to get an update on progress on the consultation and what is being considered in that, as it might answer some of the issues that the petitioners have raised.

I thank Christine Grahame for providing that depth of background. I find it difficult to believe, although it is true, that there are non-statutory child advocacy services, which I think is bizarre. I cannot see why any child advocacy service would have a particular, logical reason for being against regulation of its services.