Chamber and committees

Believe it or not, I have been climbing to the Grey Mare’s Tail for many years and I have spent many hours watching the goats there, which has brought great pleasure not only to me but to every scout I take up during the summer holidays. I have a personal connection with the goats at the Grey Mare’s Tail.

Will the committee consider writing to the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee to seek its views on the matter and writing to the Scottish Government to seek clarity on how it plans to ensure the survival of primitive goat species, given its acknowledgment of their benefits to biodiversity?

I wonder whether the committee would consider writing to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy to ask for an update on the work to produce planning guidance on battery energy storage systems, including the Scottish Government’s view on any additional recommendations. I also wonder whether it would ask for clarification by the Scottish Government on its position regarding concerns that were further highlighted by the petitioner’s additional submission, particularly the point on the proximity of BESS to communities.

In the light of the evidence before the committee, I wonder whether the committee would consider closing the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that current guidance advises leaving hot food to cool in a safe area and testing it before serving; the fact that most local authorities have set temperatures for serving food; and the fact that the Scottish Government expects all early learning and childcare providers to ensure the safety of children in their care and to adhere to all duties and guidance relating to food provision.

In light of the evidence that is in front of us from the Scottish Government and Police Scotland, would the committee consider closing the petition under rule 15.7, on the basis that the Scottish Government has no plans to take forward the action that is called for in the petition? The police are required to balance the rights of people to film with the potential to cause fear or alarm, and they make decisions that are based on individual circumstances. It is possible for the police to charge an individual for inappropriate filming or photographing of children under existing offences, and existing mechanisms allow for individuals to be charged with a breach of the peace for inappropriate filming and photography. The Scottish Government submission shows, with examples from earlier this year, that that power has been used.

In the light of the evidence before us, I suggest that the committee consider closing the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that the Scottish Government has decided not to pursue a proposal to designate Galloway and Ayrshire as a national park and been clear that it does not plan to commission an independent review of the existing national parks.

In the light of the evidence that is before us, I wonder whether the committee would consider writing to the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, asking when the evaluation report for the 1,140 hours entitlement will be published; what actions the Scottish Government intends to take in the light of the report’s recommendations; what preliminary conclusions the Scottish Government has drawn from the early adopter communities work; and what actions it will take based on that.

In the light of the evidence, I wonder whether the committee would consider writing to SEPA and NatureScot to ask what information they hold on the impact of pumped storage hydro on wild Atlantic salmon and how that is considered when they provide comment on planning applications in their role as statutory consultees.

I also wonder whether the committee would consider writing to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy to note the committee’s disappointment with the Scottish Government’s recent response, as it fails to address the committee’s concerns about how the cumulative impact of pumped storage hydro is monitored and assessed, and to ask for further information on that point.

In the light of the evidence and the Government’s response, can we consider closing the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, because the Scottish Government has stated that it has commissioned initial work to inform Scotland’s approach to fisheries management plans for non-quota species, including wrasse? The wrasse fishery is now closed in special areas of conservation and in some nature conservation marine protected areas. Although the Scottish Government currently has no plans to introduce a total allowable catch limit for wrasse, it supports research into appropriate principles for possible catch rules for wrasse species.

In light of the evidence in front of the committee, I wonder whether the committee would consider closing the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders on the basis that, in addition to the existing 25 per cent single person discount, the Scottish Government’s council tax reduction scheme can provide additional council tax relief to those eligible to receive it. The Scottish Government has also committed to having a parliamentary debate in 2026, following its joint work with COSLA, with a view to informing Parliament in the next session and suggesting potential directions for council tax reform.

Good morning. In a survey that the committee carried out, a number of integration authorities stated that they were not making use of the guidance. If PBMAs are not being used, are you aware of similar approaches to resource allocation being actively used by the Scottish health and social care service? How can we encourage better use and application of PBMAs in the health and social care sector?