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I am proud of the reforms, but they are only the first stage. 15:00 I am pleased to contribute to this important debate, which I hope will be a reminder to the cabinet secretary that the principal purpose of this Parliament is not for ministers to transmit the will of the Scottish Government to MSPs and to the people but for MSPs to transmit the will of the people to the Scottish Government.
However, the process is a pathetic parody of scrutiny and disrespects our parliamentary process. Conservative MSPs regularly demand additional scrutiny measures—they are often right to do so and are often supported in that by the Scottish Greens.
We remind the petitioner that she may wish to return to the committee in the new parliamentary session with a petition that tries to address that question, and we highlight the fact that, if people complain about antisocial behaviour and the authorities at the local level are not responding, individual local MSPs would be able to take up those complaints.
To workers across the country, I say this: if you are being put under pressure by an employer to act in any of those ways, get in touch with your local MSP or your local environmental health office, or email me directly.
Ivan McKee, who is the Spiers’s local MSP, has spoken to me directly, and I know that he is in direct contact with the family and supports their petition.
If it would be helpful, I will send the details to the member—to all MSPs in island communities. In addition, every board area, including the islands, has its own pool of contact tracers.
The First Minister has previously said in the chamber that “the internet can often be an unsafe place for young people. All MSPs can play our part in our communities in raising awareness and helping to educate parents about the steps that they can take to keep their children safe online.”
The first continued petition for consideration today is PE1533, on the abolition of non-residential social care charges for older and disabled people, which was lodged by Jeff Adamson on behalf of the Scotland against the care tax campaign. I welcome Jackie Baillie MSP for consideration of the petition.
A77 (Upgrade) (PE1657) The next two petitions for consideration are PE1610, by Matt Halliday, on upgrading the A75, and PE1657, by Donald McHarrie, on an A77 upgrade. I welcome Finlay Carson MSP to the committee for consideration of the petitions.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that we must be resolute in saying that we will not move one inch in that direction? For example, any MP or MSP who advocates that policy could be fairly accused of naked self-interest.