Seòmar agus comataidhean

I would be quite happy to agree with the committee’s decision.

The committee should write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills seeking an update on the work that is being undertaken to expand provision of free school meals and asking what priority is being given to extending such provision to secondary pupils.

I fully agree with Mr Stewart.

Given that the clerk’s note to the committee says that

“clinical trials will be carried out with the view to building an evidence base connected to CBPMs”,

that

“unlicensed products are not routinely available on the NHS, with licensing being the only way to ensure safety, quality and efficacy”

and that

“pending results from the clinical trials, there is no further action the Committee can take at this time”,

I consider that we should close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders. However, I would also like the committee to write to the petitioner, highlighting that trials will take place and that Scottish patients will be allowed to take part in them.

We have pushed back on the petition on a couple of occasions, but the Government has been quite firm and has scheduled its response on why it will not progress its objectives, albeit that it contains issues of substance to be addressed. Therefore, do we agree that we will close the petition, but will also write to the Education, Children and Young People Committee to let it know about the progress that we have made up to this stage? Are we content to do that?

Members indicated agreement.

Could the committee keep the petition open for now, to give us a chance to write to COSLA, the RAC Foundation and Professor Adrian Davis of Edinburgh Napier University, seeking their views on the action called for in the petition?

Can we write to the petitioner, asking her to share her views in response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on school uniform, which is open until 14 October?

The petitions have been with us a long time. From the information that we have got back, the south-west Scotland transport study does not recommend taking forward the option of full dualling either the A75 or the A77, opting instead to recommend targeted road improvements. A draft report on the strategic transport projects review also recommends that safety, resilience and reliable improvements are made on the A75 and A77 strategic road corridors. The Scottish Government’s response signals that it intends to upgrade both those routes.

With that information, I would like to close the petitions under rule 15.7 of standing orders. However, I would also like to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport to seek information on a timescale for those improvements, because that is what has been missing in the committee.

I am happy to agree.

Yes.