Committee
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee 21 January 2026 [Draft]
21 Jan 2026 · S6 · Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Item of business
New Petitions
Guga Hunt (PE2202)
I am uncomfortable, because the petition raises issues that the committee, in other circumstances, would have been happy to interrogate further. Certainly, we have interrogated NatureScot positions previously. Irrespective of that, though, we would have wanted to take the views of those on the island into consideration, too.The petition has attracted more than 80,000 signatures, but, as we said at the start of the meeting, the committee has only a handful of meetings left in this parliamentary session. In closing the petition, which I think is what colleagues might be minded to do, I very much urge the petitioner to submit the petition again as soon as the new Parliament assembles. That will not require gathering the number of signatures that have already been gathered; one signature is all it takes for the petition to have the opportunity to be properly heard. However, there would be an opportunity for our successor parliamentary committee to tease out and interrogate in more detail some of the issues raised by the petition.It is with some reluctance that I suggest that, given that we have only a handful of meetings left and given that, if we make any inquiries now, we will simply not get any responses back in time to take anything further forward, we close the petition at this point.
In the same item of business
The Convener
Con
PE2202, which was lodged by Rachel Bigsby, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to amend section 16 of the Wildlife and Countrysi...
Maurice Golden
Con
The issue warrants further consideration, but, unfortunately, the committee will not be able to give it that consideration at this point in the parliamentary...
The Convener
Con
I am uncomfortable, because the petition raises issues that the committee, in other circumstances, would have been happy to interrogate further. Certainly, w...
Fergus Ewing
Ind
I agree with what you and Mr Golden have said, convener, but I note in passing that it is our understanding that the Scottish Government does not intend to a...
The Convener
Con
I suppose that the one other option that is open to us would be to consider whether this is a petition that we should leave open for the next parliamentary s...
Fergus Ewing
Ind
I suppose that the number of signatories would, in itself, justify taking that somewhat unusual step.
The Convener
Con
I suggest to the clerks that we add this to the list of petitions that we will give further consideration to. We will leave just a handful of petitions open ...
Davy Russell
Lab
Keeping the petition open for the next parliamentary session will allow us to hear evidence from both sides.
The Convener
Con
Yes, it will allow that. Are colleagues agreed that we will defer a final decision on the petition, on the basis that we will add it to the list of petitions...
Fergus Ewing
Ind
We would need to also stress to the signatories of the petition that its not being closed does not mean—
The Convener
Con
Yes, any final recommendation would do that.
Fergus Ewing
Ind
—it is defeat; it is simply a deferral of probable consideration.
The Convener
Con
We will be considering which petitions are likely to be kept open in the committee’s next couple of meetings, so I am content on this occasion to hold the pe...
Fergus Ewing
Ind
The members of the next Parliament, including those of us who are not ourselves culled, can give it consideration.
The Convener
Con
Well, we could have a petition on banning that culling as well.Are colleagues agreed that we will keep the petition open and add it to the small list of peti...