Committee
Public Petitions Committee 08 February 2011
08 Feb 2011 · S3 · Public Petitions Committee
Item of business
Current Petitions
Young Homeless People (Quarriers Charter) (PE1356)
I have two points. First, it would be appropriate for us to commend Quarriers for the work that it has been doing for young people and children. Secondly, following on from Anne McLaughlin’s remarks, we might like to recommend to our future Government that, if it enters into outcome agreements, it robustly pursue them, including agreements on regional housing options.
In the same item of business
The Convener
Lab
PE1356, by Rebecca Docherty, is on supporting our charter—the Quarriers charter for young homeless people. How should we deal with this petition?
Bill Butler
Lab
I do not think that there is more that the Public Petitions Committee can usefully do. The Government provided local authorities with a funding package that ...
Anne McLaughlin
SNP
The petitioners have suggested that we ask the Scottish Government to ask local authorities whether they are adhering to statutory guidance and, if so, which...
Fergus Cochrane
There is nothing to stop you doing that, but there would be no facility for the Scottish Government to report back.
Anne McLaughlin
SNP
We could suggest that it respond directly to the petitioner.
Fergus Cochrane
That could certainly happen. The committee would not need to facilitate that.
Robin Harper
Green
I have two points. First, it would be appropriate for us to commend Quarriers for the work that it has been doing for young people and children. Secondly, fo...
Cathie Craigie
Lab
The Scottish Government’s response seems to be that everything in the garden is rosy and that all the guidance has been followed. However, the young people a...
Nigel Don
SNP
At the risk of repeating myself, and without disagreeing with what my colleagues have said, I point out that we are not a national audit committee for everyt...
The Convener
Lab
It may be worth while contacting the Government to ask how it intends to monitor how local authorities are taking forward this work.
Nigel Don
SNP
That is fair, so long as the Government understand that it is its job to do that, not ours.
The Convener
Lab
So where does that leave us? We have a proposal that the petition be closed but that we seek further information from the Government on how this work will be...
Anne McLaughlin
SNP
We could just pass the petitioners’ suggestion to the Government and suggest that it respond to the petitioners.
The Convener
Lab
I am not sure whether Robin Harper was suggesting that we contact the petitioners about the work that they have done. Can you just remind me, Robin?
Robin Harper
Green
I just suggested that we close the petition.
The Convener
Lab
Okay. The petition will be closed and a letter will be sent to the Government asking how local authorities’ work in this regard will be monitored and for it ...