Public Petitions Committee, 26 Sep 2000

Meeting date: Tuesday, September 26, 2000

Official Report 228KB pdf

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Convener's Report

The final item on the agenda is the convener's report. Members should have received a paper that sets out the arrangements for our Glencoe visit, which will take place on 2 October. A map and location details will be provided to members who are going to Glencoe. Any member who has concerns about the visit should contact the clerk.

The conveners liaison group is still operating a pilot scheme to hold committee meetings in Stirling and Glasgow and would like as many committees as possible to meet there between now and Christmas. It is possible that we could meet in Glasgow on Monday. We could seek approval from the conveners liaison group to hold the meeting that is scheduled for Tuesday 5 December in Glasgow on Monday 4 December. That would give people in Glasgow access to the committee, which they do not usually have. If members think that that is a good idea, we can submit a paper on the proposal to the conveners liaison group.

Is there any reason why you have chosen Glasgow in preference to Stirling? I declare an interest in that I like Stirling.

The reason is simply that we receive more petitions from Glasgow. We can hold back the petitions that we receive from people in Glasgow until that meeting and deal with them then. We tend to receive fewer petitions from people in Stirling.

Is this a way of inviting more people to address the Public Petitions Committee?

Not really. It merely gives people in Glasgow the chance to see the committee in operation. Under the pilot scheme—which will run until Christmas—as many committees as possible will meet outside Edinburgh. We have not left Edinburgh except for specific purposes, such as the meeting in the Borders or the visit to Glencoe.

Will we extend a special invitation to Mr Frank Harvey?

I suspect that Frank Harvey might turn up—you never know.

Meeting closed at 15:44.