Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 27 April 2022
I ask the member to listen for a wee bit longer. There are clear practical advantages to the process of parliamentary scrutiny of the bill concluding in advance of the summer recess, for the reasons that I have already mentioned.
Given the fireworks-related issues that are faced every year by our communities, stakeholders and—significantly—the emergency services, it is important that we progress the positive changes and introduce the restrictions that are proposed in the bill as soon as possible, in order to reduce incidents and harm. The proposed timetable will enable the proxy-purchase provision to be implemented in time for the bonfire period this year, and it has been agreed with the committee.
On that basis, the committee’s stage 1 report will be published on the morning of Thursday 28 April, and the Minister for Community Safety intends to provide the Scottish Government’s response to the committee’s report on Monday 2 May. The proposed timetable will also enable work to operationalise the remaining provisions in the bill to start immediately following royal assent, so that positive change will be in place for people and communities as soon as possible. I make a plea to members not to forget that it is the people whom we represent who are the important ones, here.
On that note, I hope that I have managed to put my colleagues’ minds at rest and allay their concerns.