Hansard

I agree with all the comments thus far. I do not think that the Scottish Government’s reply is adequate or sufficient by any means. I note that several MSPs from all parties have raised individual cases, which I think is an indication that the matter is not being sufficiently well dealt with at the moment. I make a plea to the petitioners who are present here today and who have an interest. Without further evidence from petitioners or others who have specific concerns, it is a little difficult for us to move forward and identify solutions, although suggestions have been made that are worthy of serious consideration. So, I make a plea that further information be provided. Of course, it would be required that information about particular cases be kept confidential. 11:15 The last point that I will make is that people in such circumstances probably feel that they are in a kind of David and Goliath situation—where they are David and the public authorities are Goliath—and feel very lonely, isolated, disempowered, hopeless and powerless to act, and often believe that the public authorities are not really listening. That is what I gather from experience over many years as an MSP. We need to give David the sling in order to be able to take on Goliath.