Seòmar agus comataidhean

We should chase up the Scottish Community Development Centre, to seek an update on the working group’s consideration of potential models for an appeals process. Specifically, we should ask when it plans to report to the Scottish Government, whether the report will include recommendations on the introduction of an appeal process and what further engagement it anticipates having with communities on the issue.

I recommend that we keep the petition open and write to the National Services Division’s national specialist services committee to highlight the evidence that we have received on essential tremor treatment and recommend that any application to roll out MRgFUS across Scotland is given early consideration when the application process opens in April 2022. In writing to the National Services Division, the committee could ask for further details of the decision-making process and timescales for next steps, should an application be successful.

We could write to the Scottish Government to highlight our engagement with the national specialist services committee and ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to a public awareness campaign, should any application prove successful. In writing to the Scottish Government, the committee might also wish to ask for further information about the national patient, public and professional reference group, including its role, remit and membership.

I would like us to write to several stakeholders, because the petition raises a really important issue that needs to be looked into. Those stakeholders should include the Child Poverty Action Group, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Community Food and Health Scotland, which does work on inequalities and barriers to healthy and affordable food, and the Trussell Trust.

I would also like us to write to the Scottish Government. Everything has a cost, so I would like to find out what investment would be needed to make possible the universal provision of free school meals in all nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools.

What evidence is there to show how you came to your list of benefits?

If the group considered the benefits of participatory democracy, it must have considered the risks. What are they?

We should keep the petition open, and I suggest that we hold an evidence-taking session with the petitioner and Sight Scotland at a future meeting.

Thank you for attending the committee meeting today, Angela. It must be extremely difficult for you. What is your opinion on the Scottish Government’s view and its argument that expanding the remit of the inquiry would only delay it and extend the time that it will take to fulfil its commitments to other sexual abuse survivors?

On that point, you have lodged a petition for a public inquiry but would it be acceptable to you if a separate inquiry was launched?

As Ruth Maguire says, minority groups and cultures, and their languages, should be protected in Scotland. It is not only Gaelic that is spoken across Scotland; there is also Doric and other languages. Gaelic should be encouraged and given the resources to thrive. I represent a central belt constituency and I know that many of my constituents go to Gaelic classes. I fully support the suggestion that we close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders.

I agree with Ruth Maguire and would like to hear from the chair of the Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans.