Committee
Public Petitions Committee 22 February 2011
22 Feb 2011 · S3 · Public Petitions Committee
Item of business
Current Petitions
School Bus Safety (PE1098 and PE1223)
It would be an advantage to have the minister here, and he would not need to be here for too long. If he communicated with us in writing, we could not follow up points immediately. However, we could do that expeditiously with him at the meeting on 8 March. The clerk has already said that the minister will attend the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee meeting on that date. I understand Anne McLaughlin’s point, but we must deal with each petition on its merits and seriatim, so I do not want to hold back five or six petitions for consideration with the minister at the end. I hope that there will not be so many petitions in that situation.
In the same item of business
The Convener
Lab
Our first petitions today are on school bus safety. PE1098 was submitted by Lynn Merrifield, and PE1223 was submitted by Ron Beaty. What are members’ views o...
Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab)
Lab
PE1098 and PE1223 are important petitions. At the previous meeting at which we considered them, we wondered whether we would get an update from the Minister ...
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Have soundings been taken on whether it will be possible to get a meeting with the minister?
Fergus Cochrane (Clerk)
I have not taken any soundings, but I know from speaking to the clerks to the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee that the minister is giv...
The Convener
Lab
It is a bit frustrating when we discover that the minister must write a letter requesting the transfer of powers. I agree that we should get Keith Brown to c...
Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP)
SNP
Keith Brown said in his letter that he is going to write to formally request the transfer of powers, which is a step forward.I do not know whether what I wil...
The Convener
Lab
I think so. The issue for us is how long we would want that meeting to last. My concern is to get as much progress as possible with petitions such as this on...
Bill Butler
Lab
It would be an advantage to have the minister here, and he would not need to be here for too long. If he communicated with us in writing, we could not follow...
Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab)
Lab
That is the point that I was going to make. Anne McLaughlin’s suggestion is sensible and practical, but we could be accused of not having considered every pe...
Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I will take us back from that discussion, because we know what we are doing, and look at the papers that are before us. I commend Aberdeenshire Council for t...
The Convener
Lab
With an election coming up in May, the danger is that, whoever is the next transport minister—it may or may not be Keith Brown—there could be quite a hiatus ...