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Good morning, everyone. Last year’s winter plan was criticised for coming too late. It was published in October. When will this year’s winter plan be published?

The committee has heard evidence that the 2022-23 winter planning and associated funding came too late. If policy makers intend to continue with the creation of an annual winter plan in the future, how can the timings for its development be improved to accommodate the needs of different professions?

We could invite the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition to give evidence to the committee at the earliest opportunity, after she or the Minister for Transport has provided a statement to the Parliament on the revised timetable for the dualling of the A9.

I suggest that we write to the Scottish Assessors Association, the Holiday Home Association and the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers to seek their views on the action that is called for in the petition. We should also write to the Scottish Government to ask whether it will consider adding self-catering holiday accommodation to the list of properties that are unable to qualify for the small business bonus scheme, and whether it will consider any other legislative changes—such as changes to the definition of self-catering holiday accommodation and the 70-day rule—that could address the issue raised in the petition.

I wonder whether we could write to the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, Citizens Advice Scotland, Patient Advice and Support Service and Shelter Scotland, seeking their views on the action that is called for in the petition.

Given the submissions from Food Standards Scotland, Dairy UK and the NFUS, I suggest that we close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders.

I thank the petitioner for lodging the petition, but I do not think that we can take it any further. I suggest that we close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that the Scottish Government does not make policy decisions on school clothing-related matters at a national level, the Scottish Government does not currently have any plans to update the learning estate strategy and COSLA has previously indicated that local government considers the design and delivery of policy around wearing of PE kit and options for changing sites are issues that are dealt with most appropriately at school level.

As someone who has taken an interest in the petition, particularly because of my background in ancient woodlands, I would like to see it continue. I would like us to write to the cabinet secretary to find out when the register of ancient woodlands will be completed. If the committee agrees, I would also like us to write to the Scottish Government to highlight the petitioners’ latest submission and seek an update on whether it expects the forthcoming natural environment bill to include further provisions to protect ancient woodlands.

I agree that we should write to the National Trust for Scotland, the St Kilda Soay sheep research project and OneKind, and also to NatureScot, to seek their views on what the petition calls for.

I suggest that the committee agree to close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that the issues raised by the petition are within the scope of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, which is currently being considered by the Parliament. However, in closing the petition, the committee might write to the petitioner to highlight an opportunity to submit her views as part of a call for views on the proposals in the bill. The call for views is now open and closes on 8 September.