Committee
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee 20 December 2023
20 Dec 2023 · S6 · Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Item of business
Continued Petitions
Motorcycle Theft (PE1971)
I support Mr Golden’s suggestion to close the petition. However, it would be remiss not to add that the response that we have had from the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is tremendously detailed and might be an example to others who respond to the committee. In its submission, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service says that two individuals spent five hours studying what happened to the 47 cases concerned—I believe at my request—and that they have given a complete analysis of every single one of those and details of disposal. By my calculation, only 19 cases appeared to have led to a guilty plea and a sentence, with 28 cases either deserted, not called or having a not guilty plea accepted, but that is the justice system in operation. Therefore, in closing the petition, I would like to thank the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service for taking our request for information very seriously indeed and for the diligence with which it pursued that.
In the same item of business
The Convener
Con
That brings us to petition PE1971, which calls for robust action to stop motorcycle theft. The petition, which was lodged by Kenneth Clayton on behalf of the...
Maurice Golden
Con
I think that we should close the petition under rule 15.7 of standing orders, on the basis that Police Scotland has a comprehensive standard operating proced...
The Convener
Con
Mr Ewing, do you have a suggestion?
Fergus Ewing
SNP
I support Mr Golden’s suggestion to close the petition. However, it would be remiss not to add that the response that we have had from the Scottish Courts an...
The Convener
Con
I would like to endorse those comments. As I said, it was a comprehensive response, which was greatly appreciated by the committee. Colleagues, are we conte...
The Convener
Con
We thank the petitioner very much. We have received that comprehensive response and, given those circumstances, the committee will close the petition.