Chamber and committees

Would the committee consider writing to the minister to ask what progress has been made on exploring the possibility of utilising tax powers to mandate community shared ownership and renewable energy developments, as indicated by the petitioner?

I wonder whether we could write to the Minister for Victims and Community Safety to highlight the evidence that the committee has received; to seek an update on the work of the implementation board and the operational working group to progress the implementation of part 1 of the 2021 act, including information on what challenges are still to be resolved before implementation can proceed; to ask what action has been taken to ensure that victims have the opportunity to be heard before non-harassment orders are varied or revoked; and to ask whether the Scottish Government still intends to introduce a legal aid reform bill during the current parliamentary session.

I think that the committee should consider writing to the First Minister to highlight the petitioner’s submissions, to seek clarification on what consideration the First Minister has given to updating the ministerial code since taking office and to ask him to set out the process for appointing the independent advisers on the ministerial code, including whether any consideration is given to how long they should remain in post.

In light of the evidence that we have been given, would the committee consider closing the petition under rule 15.7 of the standing orders, on the basis that the Scottish Government and NatureScot have set out their approaches to incorporating local knowledge in policy and decision making, and neither currently intends to revise such approaches in line with the petition’s request?

Given the progress that has been made on the aims of the petition, I suggest that we close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that it has been confirmed that a Scottish veterans treatment pathway that will closely replicate NHS England’s veterans trauma network is expected to be introduced in 2024, and that the SPSO supports the view that it is useful for public bodies to review response times to identify general improvements for the benefit of everyone who engages with them, with the SPSO having recently updated its guidance on vulnerability.

In closing the petition, perhaps we can write to the Minister for Veterans to seek an update on the timescale for introducing a Scottish veterans treatment pathway.

I wonder whether we could write to the Scottish Government to seek an update on the working group that has been established to assess potential models and understand any required changes to the screening programme to support the initial roll-out of HPV self-sampling. Monica Lennon has highlighted that that is really important, and my better half just lost a cousin at the age of 39 last Friday to the illness, so I know how important it is to get sampling done and to get tested.

I will ask about something that was mentioned earlier. Will you explain what evidence the Fornethy survivors must show to Redress Scotland to establish that the exclusion for short-term respite or holiday care does not apply to their cases?

In the light of the evidence, I wonder whether the committee would consider closing the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that the Scottish Community Development Centre is currently working on proposals for the participation request appeals process as part of the Scottish Government’s review of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. NHS Highland has explained its decision to the Caithness Health Action Team and is open to a community participation request resubmission or continued and formal engagement. In closing the petition, the committee could add that, if a petitioner is not satisfied with the outcome of the Scottish Government’s review, a further petition could be lodged in a year’s time.

Would the committee consider writing to ask the Scottish Government whether it has explored the possibility of removing the requirement for an individual to be eligible for a qualifying benefit in order to receive a council tax exemption on the basis of severe mental impairment?

I am not saying that we cannot write to the minister but, in the light of the evidence that the committee has received, I would like to close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that work is under way to develop a consistent nationwide approach to collection of data relating to relevant criminal convictions and criminal charges from students, with Universities Scotland working closely with stakeholders in the Scottish Government’s equally safe in colleges and universities core leadership group to progress the work.

In closing the petition, the committee may wish to write to the Education, Children and Young People’s Committee to highlight the petition and to ask that the evidence that has been gathered is taken into consideration as part of its work on the equally safe strategy.