Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 19 January 2016
19 Jan 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Public Petitions Process Review
Mr McMahon was not a member of the committee at the time when the issue was raised. The committee discussed the matter at the time and surprise was expressed by the majority of members about the number of submissions that did not formally go forward to be heard by the committee.
It will be important to consider the socioeconomic demographics of those who make submissions to the committee, not only those whose petitions are heard by the committee. That will enable us to determine what level of support and assistance is required by people who want to make that important submission to the Parliament. Support seems to have been provided to petitioners in the past but does not seem to be currently available.
I wish the Public Petitions Committee every success and hope that future members of the Scottish Parliament recognise the role and the value of the Public Petitions Committee and continue to support it in every way that they can.
16:14In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15343, in the name of Michael McMahon, on a review of the public petitions process. I call Michael McMaho...
Michael McMahon (Uddingston and Bellshill) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to open this debate on the review of the petitions process. This is the fourth debate that we have had on the Parliament’s petitions process sin...
The Minister for Parliamentary Business (Joe FitzPatrick)
SNP
It is right and proper that the Parliament regularly reviews its procedures. That allows the Parliament to examine what has worked well and what it can do be...
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to speak today as one of the Public Petitions Committee’s ex-conveners. I spent a very happy four years there, and I see familiar faces in the c...
Jackson Carlaw (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I am very happy to contribute to the debate, and I do so as an unreserved fan of the Scottish Parliament’s petitions process. Towards the end of my first se...
Nigel Don (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
SNP
I cannot help reflecting that all that I have heard so far suggests that that has been the case in this session. I confirm that exactly the same prevailed in...
Jackson Carlaw
Con
I am happy to agree on the golden age of Nigel Don on petitions, equally as much as I am on the golden age of petitions with David Stewart. I accept that tha...
Kenny MacAskill (Edinburgh Eastern) (SNP)
SNP
I heartily endorse the comments that were made initially by the current committee convener, which have been endorsed by every member across the chamber who h...
Hanzala Malik (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
It is a pleasure to speak on the review of the public petitions process in the Scottish Parliament. The public petitions system and the Public Petitions Comm...
Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to contribute to the debate, especially as there has been some negative coverage of the Public Petitions Committee in the media in recent months...
John Wilson (Central Scotland) (Ind)
Ind
I, too, take great pleasure in speaking in the debate. I think that I am currently the longest-serving member of the Public Petitions Committee, with almost ...
Michael McMahon
Lab
I want to clarify what Mr Wilson just said. It did not require an FOI request to get that information. There was a simple request by someone who had an inter...
John Wilson
Ind
Mr McMahon was not a member of the committee at the time when the issue was raised. The committee discussed the matter at the time and surprise was expressed...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
I congratulate the minister on his brevity, which allows much more time for the backbenchers to express their views on a committee that is, in essence, a cre...
Jackson Carlaw
Con
I would like to develop the point that I made in my earlier contribution about the way in which we might more effectively advertise the parliamentary petitio...
David Stewart
Lab
This has been an excellent debate with lots of consensus. I am grateful for Jackson Carlaw’s update on Lord Gill. I had missed the fact that he came before t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You still have a minute and a half, if you want.
David Stewart
Lab
This has been an interesting debate. I endorse the conclusions of the independent review of the petitions process. The committee is excellent and should keep...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Given that I sat on the first Public Petitions Committee, it is important for me to remember the spirit of John McAllion, who was its convener. His pioneerin...
David Torrance (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to close the debate on behalf of the committee. The importance of the petitions process is accepted across the chamber. It is a core part of mee...
Hanzala Malik
Lab
I want to run something past Mr Torrance, because he has more experience than I have. What about the petitioners who have been unsuccessful? Is there room fo...
David Torrance
SNP
I agree with Hanzala Malik on that point. Petitioners who have brought petitions forward to the committee that have not been successful should have another r...