Chamber and committees

How should HIAL have approached the development of the project in the first place?

Implicit in that suggestion is that we are at a point when, in other circumstances, we would hear from the petitioner.

I invite our two parliamentary colleagues who have joined us and have been with us at various stages during our consideration of the petition over an extended period to ask you anything.

Does Prospect retain confidence in HIAL and its existing board?

PE1862, which was lodged by Rona MacKay, Angus Campbell and Naomi Bremner on behalf of Uist economic task force, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to introduce community representation on the boards of public organisations delivering lifeline services to island communities, in keeping with the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

When we considered the petition on 2 February, we agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands. I am pleased to say that, since that meeting, we have received a response from the Minister for Transport that outlines the process for agreeing who should sit on the selection panel for each public body recruitment exercise. The minister notes that the current process involves a selection panel making recommendations to the minister on all aspects of the recruitment exercise, including what the key criteria for each vacant position should be. The minister therefore indicates that she does not believe that legislative change is required.

Do members have any suggestions? Would we like to hear from the minister and the petitioners to see whether that resolves the issue, or are we satisfied with the minister’s response?

Is that agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

The Alliance will potentially have something to offer for our consideration of the petition. Is that agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

PE1909 calls for the removal of the gender-based domestic abuse narrative and for it to be made gender neutral and equal. The petition, which was lodged by William Wright, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to make domestic abuse policies, guidance, agendas and practices gender neutral; to introduce equal domestic abuse provision and funding for everyone in Scotland, regardless of any protected characteristic; and to ensure that all domestic abuse joint protocol guidance, policies and practice for Police Scotland and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are gender neutral.

At our previous consideration of the petition, we agreed to write to stakeholders to seek their views. We have now received submissions from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Police Scotland, ASSIST, the Minister for Equalities and Older People, the petitioner, and Abused Men in Scotland—AMIS—which is a male domestic abuse charity that operates a helpline service across Scotland. The submissions have been shared in full in advance of the meeting.

Some key points are raised in the submissions. COPFS says that the current definition of domestic abuse

“includes abuse of male victims by female perpetrators”.

Police Scotland states that there is no sex or gender variance in the level of service that a victim will receive. The Minister for Equalities and Older People states that, in September this year, the Scottish Government will engage and consult on a

“national strategy on ending intimate and sexual violence against men”.

ASSIST states that a gendered approach is important in recognising that men and women

“may require different services and service approaches.”

AMIS recommends that, instead of domestic abuse approaches being gender neutral, they should be gender inclusive, and that measures should be proportionate instead of equal. It raises a concern that the sharing of the overall funding for services that support men and women gives the misleading impression that male services are adequately funded. It also advocates

“Revised gender-informed training for all in the justice system”.

The petitioner’s most recent submission provides further information about his experiences as a male victim of domestic abuse. He also suggests several other stakeholders that the committee may wish to hear from.

There is quite a lot for us to consider. Do colleagues have any suggestions?

Thank you for drawing that point to our attention. As a constituency MSP, I have heard examples of that, too. It is very disturbing. That word possibly leads people into a degree of conjecture. In the instance that I encountered, it was more that the constituent felt that something was being covered up in terms of not being able to determine what had led to a death in hospital. It would be useful for us to pursue that as well.

Thank you very much for joining us, Monica. We will return to the petition when we have further information.

PE1931, which was lodged by Ian Barker, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to prevent digital exclusion for rural properties and their households by giving priority in the reaching 100 per cent—R100—programme to properties with internet speeds of less than 5 megabits per second. All legislative and regulatory responsibility for telecommunications rests with the UK Government and Ofcom. The Scottish Government has, however, introduced a programme of work to improve digital connectivity in Scotland, which is what the petitioner seeks to influence.

The petitioner aims to ensure that priority is given to properties with slower internet speeds in rural areas, in particular, and he explains that rural households should have fair access in order to prevent digital exclusion.

The Scottish Government’s initial response sets out the measures that it has taken to date in relation to rolling out internet connectivity in rural areas. The response highlights the R100 Scottish broadband voucher scheme, which was created to ensure that everyone can access a superfast broadband service.

Do members have any comments or suggestions for action?