Seòmar agus comataidhean

I have one more question and it is for Clea Harmer. What impact has the national bereavement care pathway Scotland project had so far on increasing bereavement care and reducing local and national inequalities?

The submissions from all the people involved—such as the Scottish Legal Complaints Committee—are not very supportive of the petition. However, I note that there will be a review of mental wellbeing and social care in 2023, I think—I might stand corrected on that. Nonetheless, if the petitioner is not happy with the outcome of that, they can bring a petition back. I am therefore happy to close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders.

I do not know whether there is any appetite from any of the political parties or the Government to change the voting system, but I think that we should write to the key stakeholders—the Electoral Reform Society Scotland and the Electoral Commission—to seek their views on what the petitioner is asking for.

I agree with colleagues. We should keep the petition open and seek advice from stakeholders.

I suggest that we keep the petition open and write to the Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport to request an update on the outcome of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency report, because it is important that we know about that before we make a decision about anything.

I think that we should keep the petition open and write to the Scottish Community Development Centre for an update on its work on exploring what an appeals process for community participation requests might look like and when it expects to conclude that work.

The petition has been going for some time. Last session, a lot of work was done. A lot of evidence was taken, questions were asked and, as you have said, there was a members’ business debate.

I think that the Scottish Government has heeded what the petition has asked for and that a lot of progress has been made on what the petitioners want. I would therefore quite happily close the petition, in accordance with rule 15.7 of standing orders. However, I ask that, in doing so, we write to the Scottish Government so that it can continue to engage with the petitioners.

I absolutely agree, convener.

I know that it is not what the petitioners want to hear, but the Scottish Government is committed to having a review in 2023, and the new section 100A in the 2015 act will ensure that the Scottish ministers make provisions.

From the minister’s response, it is clear that the Government is not willing to go to a consultation at this time, so I am quite happy to close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders. If the petitioners are not happy with the outcomes in 2023, they can bring back a fresh petition.

I find it incredible that no information is available on how many times the appeals process has been used. I would be happy to write to the Scottish Government again to ask how it will fill that gap and provide evidence.