Local Government and Transport Committee, 28 Feb 2006
Meeting date: Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Official Report
323KB pdf
Petition
Home Safety Officers (PE758)
We have two more items on the agenda, which I do not think it will take us too long to deal with.
Item 5 is petition PE758, which calls for the provision of home safety officers on a statutory basis in each local authority. We have considered this petition before. It is suggested that we hold an evidence-taking session to hear from the petitioners, the Scottish Accident Prevention Council, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform or his deputy—whoever accepts the invitation. It is also suggested that we investigate taking either written or oral evidence from a member of Home Safety Scotland and from the Scottish fire and rescue service's community fire safety champion for Scotland.
Given that the committee's time is tight, because of its commitments, I suggest that we seek written evidence from the latter two, as set out in paragraph 9 of paper LGT/S2/06/6/6, and that we invite the first three—the petitioners, COSLA and the minister—to give oral evidence. Are members content for us to proceed in that manner?
Are petitioners going to give evidence now?
No. We are being asked to consider the issue at a later stage. We do not have evidence scheduled for today.
It is just that I thought that one of the petitioners was here today and had been waiting patiently for the whole meeting. I just wondered whether they expected to be called—apparently not.
Do we agree the way forward?
Members indicated agreement.