Official Report 211KB pdf
Autism Spectrum Disorder (PE1213)
The next item is the committee's consideration of petition PE1213, on autism spectrum disorder. The clerks have circulated a paper on the petition, along with a copy of the petition. As you will see, it is suggested that the committee defer further consideration of the petition until it has concluded its work on the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill, as that covers some of the points that the petition raises. I would be keen to receive the committee's views on that suggestion, and any other views that members have on the petition.
I am minded to agree with the deferment. Some of the issues that are contained in the petition, such as representation at appeal panels, are ones that we have discussed this morning. Hopefully, some of them will be resolved in the passage of the bill.
I agree with that recommendation. However, I have some concerns about the petition, which seems to use the words "I believe" quite a lot. I am not aware of any evidence being presented for the comments that the petition makes. Some of the comments are quite prejudicial against the headmaster of the school that the petitioner refers to, although neither the headmaster nor the school is named. There does not appear to be any justification for the comments. We should ask the petitioner for evidence for her comments and allegations, because they are quite serious.
It is fair to say that all committee members agree that we should defer the petition. I am sure that we will give full consideration to Mr Gibson's comments when we deliberate on the petition again, and when we reach a conclusion about what further action we should take.
We should write to the petitioner to give them the chance to present us with the evidence.
It might be best for us to write to the petitioner to explain what happened at committee today, just in case they have not been able to watch the meeting on the internet or do not read the Official Report. I am sure that the petitioner will want to provide further information.
Meeting continued in private until 12:10.
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