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Showing 60 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.
The Convener: Lab Committee
24 Apr 2001
Current Petitions
Petition PE243, from Jim Gibson, on the water price increases in the North of Scotland Water Authority area, called on the Parliament to remedy the increases by ensuring that there is effective democratic scrutiny of the public service. In September, we passed a copy of the pe...
The Convener: Lab Committee
18 Dec 2001
Current Petitions
The first current petition is PE367 from Eric Drummond, which is to do with services for the diagnosis and treatment of those suffering from sleep apnoea. At our meeting in May, we agreed to copy the petition to the Executive, Greater Glasgow Health Board and Lothian Health fo...
The Convener: Lab Committee
26 Mar 2002
Current Petitions
Petition PE449, from Mr Alex Hogg on behalf of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, asks for an independent investigation into the impact of predatory birds on waders, songbirds, private stocks of fish and game birds. An earlier petition on the licensed culling of raptors—PE1...
The Convener: Lab Committee
19 Jun 2001
Current Petitions
PE343 is from Mrs Thea Rae and concerns a review of contract law. The committee will remember that it considered responses from the Scottish Executive and the Law Society of Scotland and agreed to copy those to the petitioner. The responses said that Mrs Rae might wish to purs...
The Convener: Lab Committee
23 Jan 2001
Current Petitions
The next petition is PE274, from Mrs Patricia Drysdale, asking the Parliament to ensure that there is an inquiry into the safety and welfare practices in operation at Jessiefield prison, Dumfries. A number of members of the committee would not have been here when we first cons...
Mr John McAllion (Convener, Public Petitions Committee): Lab Committee
02 Oct 2001
Consultative Steering Group Principles
Thank you for inviting me and the Public Petitions Committee to give evidence to the inquiry. The Public Petitions Committee has submitted a paper as its formal response, but I would like to take this opportunity to add a few comments of my own.Citizens' ability to petition th...
The Convener: Lab Committee
29 Feb 2000
New Petitions
The next group of petitions—PE96 and PE99—should have been taken together, but Mr Allingham has withdrawn his petition. We have only Mr Berry's petition to consider at this meeting. The subject is sea cage fish farming. The petition calls on the Scottish Parliament to hold an ...
The Convener: Lab Committee
21 Nov 2000
Current Petitions
We will do what has been suggested. We will pass the minister's response to the petitioner for information and suggest to him that the group endeavours to meet the requirements for accessing funds, as explained by the minister, in an effort to resolve its difficulties.The next...
The Convener: Lab Committee
13 Mar 2001
Current Petitions
Petition PE295, from Mr Alex Murray, on behalf of the Silverknowes residents action group, called on Parliament to urge the City of Edinburgh Council to review its plans for the relocation of the football pitch on Silverknowes Green and to ensure that future planning applicati...
The Convener: Lab Committee
08 May 2001
Current Petitions
The next response is to petition PE333, which is from Mr Charles Douglas of the Humanist Society of Scotland. The petition wanted legal status for humanists in secular marriage ceremonies. We discussed the petition on 6 February and passed a copy to the Scottish Executive and ...
The Convener: Lab Committee
14 Jan 2003
Current Petitions
The next petition is PE482, on the compulsory blood testing of suspects. Members will recall that the petition was submitted by the Scottish Police Federation, which wants suspects or assailants who may have exposed police officers to a risk of infection to be required to subm...
The Convener: Lab Committee
23 Apr 2002
New Petitions
The next petition is PE490 from Ms Jacqueline Reid. The committee documents say that the petition has only one signature, but in fact a significant number of signatures were subsequently submitted in support of the petition, which came to the Parliament via Anne Begg MP. Membe...
Mr McAllion: Lab Committee
25 Feb 2003
Petitions
Petitions are spread throughout parliamentary committees and they are in a similar position to petition PE474 because there is perhaps not enough time for individual committees to explore any petition's potential. The Public Petitions Committee recommends that, when a committe...
Mr McAllion: Lab Committee
11 Dec 2001
Consultative Steering Group Principles Inquiry
No provision was made in the standing orders for petitioners to give oral evidence to the Public Petitions Committee. We decided to allow it and almost every petitioner wanted to speak to the committee. If 15 petitions were on the agenda, it would become a long meeting if ever...
The Convener: Lab Committee
06 Jun 2000
New Petitions
That might be the case. However, we will discuss those issues at the next meeting of the Public Petitions Committee. The next petition is PE209 from Age Concern Dundonald and is about care of the elderly in South Ayrshire. The petition calls on the Parliament to investigate th...
The Convener: Lab Committee
02 Oct 2001
New Petitions
Petition PE394 is from Mr James Alexander Mackie on behalf of the Forth Fishery Conservation Trust. It calls on the Scottish Parliament to take the necessary steps to ensure that petition PE238 on fishery conservation is separated from petition PE96 and is investigated in its ...
The Convener: Lab Committee
07 Nov 2000
Current Petitions
Petition PE239, from Mr Donald Easton, is about the national health service pay review body. The petition calls on the Scottish Parliament to direct the Scottish Executive to take action to include biomedical scientists working in the NHS in the NHS pay review body. At our mee...
The Convener: Lab Committee
24 Apr 2001
Current Petitions
PE343, from Mrs Thea Rae, is on the review of contract law. Members will remember the petition from our meeting on 13 March. Mrs Rae called on the Parliament to review and amend the existing law pertaining to contracts between building companies and their clients.At the meetin...
The Convener: Lab Committee
19 Jun 2001
Current Petitions
The next petition is PE363 from Mr Stan Gregory, on the appointment of independent consultants to examine and propose changes to the structure and operation of Scottish councils. We agreed to pass the petition to the Scottish Executive, to ask it to respond to the petition and...
The Convener: Lab Committee
06 Feb 2001
Current Petitions
The next response relates to a series of petitions that we have received from Tricia Donegan concerning the inadequacies of the law in respect of prosecutions for dangerous driving. Petition PE331 called on the Parliament to investigate why drivers who have made deliberate dec...
The Convener: Lab Committee
13 Mar 2001
Current Petitions
The next petition is PE306, from Mr Thomas Minogue, which asked the Parliament to request that all members of the judiciary declare membership of organisations such as the freemasons and that a register of such interests be made available on request.At our meeting on 19 Decemb...
The Convener: Lab Committee
08 May 2001
Current Petitions
That makes four. The view of the majority of the committee is that petition PE333 should be referred to one of the justice committees. We will send a copy of the Scottish Executive's response to the petitioners.The next response is to petition PE334, which was from Tony Southa...
The Convener: Lab Committee
11 Sep 2001
New Petitions
At some point in my life, I shall try to do precisely that, but not at the moment; I do not think I have the time. Is that course of action agreed? I take silence to indicate assent.The next petition is PE389, from Mr Romano Petrucci. It calls on the Scottish Parliament to ini...
The Convener: Lab Committee
06 Nov 2001
New Petitions
PE409, from Mr Douglas Smart, concerns the regulation of bus companies. Mr Smart has submitted an additional letter to the committee. The petition calls for legislation to regulate bus companies so that public bodies have control over fares, routes, levels of service, timetabl...
The Convener: Lab Committee
07 May 2002
New Petitions
The last of the new petitions is from Ian Malcolm, who asks the Parliament to make urgent inquiries to identify and address the issues on the suburbanisation of rural Scotland.The Executive was asked the parliamentary question"whether there are any inconsistencies in the opera...
The Convener: Lab Committee
24 Oct 2000
New Petitions
Thanks for answering our questions.Members know that this is not the first petition that we have received on this subject. We have already referred the others to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee, which is awaiting the publication of research by the Crown Office and the D...
The Convener: Lab Committee
08 Oct 2002
New Petitions
The next petition comes from Mr Allan J Bayle. It concerns the review of the Scottish Criminal Record Office. The petition calls for the Scottish Parliament to undertake an inquiry into the openness, transparency and admission of mistakes at the Scottish Criminal Record Office...
The Convener: Lab Committee
04 Dec 2000
Current Petitions
The next item is responses to petitions that the committee has previously received, on which an additional paper has been circulated to members.The first item is a response to the petition on asylum seekers that was received from Edinburgh Student Action for Refugees. Members ...
The Convener: Lab Committee
13 Mar 2001
Current Petitions
The next petition is PE277, from Mr David Emslie, which called on the Scottish Parliament to initiate a public inquiry into the administration of Grampian Housing Association Ltd, with a view to the introduction of legislation to allow the monitoring and audit of housing assoc...
The Convener: Lab Committee
26 Feb 2002
Current Petitions
The next petition is PE409 from Mr Douglas G Smart, on the regulation of bus companies. It calls for legislation to regulate bus companies so that public bodies will have some control over fares, routes, levels of service, timetables and the co-ordination of bus-to-bus and bus...
The Convener: Lab Committee
12 Sep 2000
Current Petitions
The next petition is PE127, from Edinburgh Student Action for Refugees. The petition calls on the Scottish Parliament to take a variety of actions regarding the detention of asylum seekers in Scotland. The issues that are raised in the petition are reserved. The committee agre...
The Convener: Lab Committee
04 Dec 2000
New Petitions
Petition PE298 is from Mrs Avril McKen. In light of the proposal to relocate the Forres ambulance unit to Elgin, the petition calls on the Scottish Parliament to recommend that the unit should remain at Leanchoil hospital, Forres, and that it should be upgraded to a 24-hour se...
The Convener: Lab Committee
19 Dec 2000
Current Petitions
The next petition is PE252 on funerals and burials. Members will remember that we agreed to copy this petition to the Scottish Executive minister for a response to the issues that are raised in the petition. We have received a long letter from the Scottish Executive explaining...
The Convener: Lab Committee
06 Feb 2001
Current Petitions
The next petition is Mr Hugh Devine's petition PE313, on a dispute about land maintenance. At the time that it was submitted, a number of members took a particular interest in the petition, as the land in question is in Glasgow. Pauline McNeill, Sandra White and Kenny Gibson a...
The Convener: Lab Committee
27 Mar 2001
Current Petitions
The next response that we have received relates to PE246 from Kildalton and Oa community council, Kilarrow and Kilmeny community council and the Kilchoman and Portnahaven community council, and Councillors J Findlay and R Currie. The petition requests Scottish Natural Heritage...
The Convener: Lab Committee
27 Mar 2001
Current Petitions
The final response is to petition PE324 from Ms Kay Reid, which has nearly 5,500 signatures and which calls on the Parliament to call for a fatal accident inquiry into the sudden death of Dwayne Hood. It also requests the Scottish Executive to institute a right of appeal to th...
The Convener: Lab Committee
24 Apr 2001
Current Petitions
The final response that we have had so far is to petition PE350 from Mr Mike Sutherland, on fishing in the Moray firth.We agreed to draw the attention of Scottish Natural Heritage to the petition. We also agreed to pass a copy of the most recent Scottish Executive response on ...
The Convener: Lab Committee
19 Jun 2001
Current Petitions
PE356 from Mr Hendry Williams, on behalf of Troqueer Homeowners Committee, asked the Parliament to establish"a mechanism for the resolution of disputes between local authorities and home owners of former local authority homes".We agreed to copy the petition to the Scottish Exe...
The Convener: Lab Committee
15 Jan 2002
New Petitions
Petition PE437, which is from Mr John Macleod, calls on the Executive to secure the future of the Gaelic language through the creation of a Gaelic language act. It calls on the Executive to develop a co-ordinated strategy for the language in partnership with local authorities ...
The Convener: Lab Committee
07 May 2002
Current Petitions
PE472, from Mr Narinder Singh Sahota, concerns adoption procedures for minorities. Members will remember that we agreed to seek the Executive's views and ask it to comment on the issues that the petition raised. We have now received a response from the Executive, which points ...
The Convener (Mr John McAllion): Lab Committee
14 Mar 2000
Electronic Petitions
I call the meeting to order and welcome everyone to the fifth meeting this year of the Public Petitions Committee.We have a full agenda today. The first item is a paper that has been prepared by the clerks on electronic petitions. It has been issued beforehand to all members o...
The Convener: Lab Committee
25 Apr 2000
Current Petitions
We have a number of responses to current petitions to consider. The first is a response from the clerk to the Local Government Committee in relation to PE26 from the Bridge of Allan Public Interests Association, which called for local authorities and other agencies to recognis...
The Convener: Lab Committee
24 Oct 2000
Current Petitions
The next petition is PE190, from Mr Peter Saunders. It concerns the handling of a petition submitted against a planning application and calls for the Scottish Parliament to halt the work in progress at John Wood's hospital, Upper Largo and to demand that Fife Council restore t...
The Convener: Lab Committee
04 Dec 2000
New Petitions
The next petition is PE299, from Tricia Donegan, on dangerous driving. It calls on Parliament to investigate whether the additional driver offences of failure to possess the correct licence, MOT or insurance documentation should be taken into consideration at court hearings co...
The Convener: Lab Committee
13 Mar 2001
Current Petitions
We will leave it out until we have the next responses. At that time, we can further consider sending the petition to the Transport and the Environment Committee.The next petition is PE337 from the Retained Firefighters Union. It is a shame that George Lyon is not here, as he t...
The Convener: Lab Committee
19 Jun 2001
New Petitions
There are no further questions, so I thank the petitioners for their evidence. We will now consider how to deal with the petition. The petitioners are welcome to listen to that discussion.It is suggested that we refer the petition to the Scottish Executive for its comments on ...
The Convener: Lab Committee
23 Oct 2001
Current Petitions
We will take the last of the current petitions, PE387, first because Robin Harper is present this morning. He has other appointments, but wants to contribute to our consideration of the petition.Members will remember that the petition was submitted by Mr Stuart Housden on beha...
The Convener: Lab Committee
18 Dec 2001
New Petitions
PE430 is from Mrs M Glendinning and calls on the Parliament to consider whether it is appropriate for local authorities, as owners of school playing fields, to be able to sell such assets and to grant planning permission to a developer, when such a sale is opposed. The petitio...
The Convener: Lab Committee
18 Dec 2001
Current Petitions
The next petition is PE400 from Clare McCann, which is on behalf of the Deaf Equality and Accessibility Forum and concerns the removal of the post of specialist worker for hearing impaired people in the area served by South Lanarkshire Council. We agreed to seek the views of t...
The Convener: Lab Committee
12 Feb 2002
Current Petitions
We will leave it at that.PE430 is from Mrs Glendenning and calls on the Parliament to consider whether it is appropriate for local authorities, as the owners of school playing fields, to be able to sell such assets and to grant planning permission to a developer when such a sa...
The Convener: Lab Committee
12 Mar 2002
Current Petitions
The next petition is from Mr John Macleod on a Gaelic language act. We dealt with this petition at our meeting on 15 January. We have received a response from the Executive that refers to the response that it gave us on PE385, in which it provided details of the support that i...
The Convener: Lab Committee
18 Mar 2003
Current Petitions
Petition PE554 is from Mr Neil Henriksen and calls for improvements to the planning process. He wants the necessary steps to be taken to improve the planning process so that once a planning application has been refused and not appealed, or appealed and refused, no substantiall...
The Convener: Lab Committee
31 Aug 1999
Petitions
If we agree to add a note of urgency to the petition, we should not do it on the ground that there have been accidents on the A77. There are other roads in Scotland—particularly the road between Dundee and Arbroath—where horrific accidents took place during the summer. Therefo...
The Convener: Lab Committee
31 Aug 1999
Petitions
He can submit petitions only through this committee. I suggest that the Justice and Home Affairs Committee should consider the petition. Phil's point is a matter for that committee, which could pass the petition to the Equal Opportunities Committee if it chooses.It is agreed t...
The Convener: Lab Committee
14 Mar 2000
Current Petitions
The next response—to petition PE83, from Concern for Justice—is more complicated. We agreed to seek legal advice on the issues raised in the petition. We have now received that advice, which is summarised in the briefing paper that was handed out to members. For the record, I ...
The Convener: Lab Committee
19 Jun 2001
New Petitions
PE376 is from Linda Simkin and calls on the Scottish Parliament to amend the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912 so that it becomes an offence to allow an animal to exist in a condition that is likely to cause it suffering. The background papers set out the circumstances...
The Convener: Lab Committee
21 May 2002
Current Petitions
The first current petition, from Councillor Sam Campbell, calls on the Parliament to take the necessary steps to reregulate the bus service in Scotland, to enable rural communities that depend on it to have an adequate bus service.Members will recall that we requested a respon...
The Convener: Lab Committee
12 Sep 2000
Current Petitions
It refers to people who have been told to leave the United Kingdom, but who have not done so and have been arrested. Their MP is now appealing against their imminent deportation. While the appeal is being considered, those people are held in prison in case they abscond again.T...
The Convener: Lab Committee
19 Dec 2000
Current Petitions
The next petition is from Mr Browning on behalf of various retailers in Polwarth, in Edinburgh. Members will remember that we agreed to copy the petition to the Minister for Children and Education. We have received a detailed response, in which the Executive makes it clear tha...
The Convener: Lab Committee
23 Jan 2001
Current Petitions
Petition PE246 came from several community councils and councillors. It concerns the designation of special areas of conservation and asks the Parliament to persuade Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Executive not to proceed with the designation of the south-east Isla...
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Committee

Public Petitions Committee, 24 Apr 2001

24 Apr 2001 · S1 · Public Petitions Committee
Item of business
Current Petitions
McAllion, Mr John Lab Dundee East Watch on SPTV
Petition PE243, from Jim Gibson, on the water price increases in the North of Scotland Water Authority area, called on the Parliament to remedy the increases by ensuring that there is effective democratic scrutiny of the public service. In September, we passed a copy of the petition to the Minister for Transport and the Environment, asking for a response to the issues in the petition and to the response that was received from NOSWA. The Executive has replied in full, giving the reasons for the increase in water charges and details of the public consultation on its proposals for assisting two groups of low-income households in particular: those living in the NOSWA area and those living in areas that include higher-band properties. The outcome of the consultation is set out in the paper that is before us. We have also received details of the process for setting water charges and the Scottish Executive's proposals to move to a single water authority, which were announced recently.With that, there are tables that contain details of the public meetings—and proposed meetings—of the consultative committee, at which members of the public get the opportunity to discuss issues with the water commissioner. The clerks have a copy of the guidance from the Scottish Executive, which details the functions of the commissioner and which is available to members of the committee. The Transport and the Environment Committee is conducting a wide-ranging inquiry into the structure, investment and charges of the water industry, and the role of the water commissioner.The action taken by the Executive to assist those on low incomes—including those in the NOSWA area—as well as the inquiry into all aspects of the water industry that is being carried out by the Transport and the Environment Committee, suggests that we should agree to pass a copy of the petition and response to the Transport and the Environment Committee for information only, in the context of its inquiry, and that we should agree to pass a copy of the response to the petitioners and take no further action. Is that agreed?Members indicated agreement.

In the same item of business

The Convener: Lab
We have a large number of responses to current petitions. The first is the response to petition PE208 from Douglas Hardie, which called on the Parliament to ...
The Convener: Lab
Petition PE243, from Jim Gibson, on the water price increases in the North of Scotland Water Authority area, called on the Parliament to remedy the increases...
The Convener: Lab
Petition PE248, from Robert Durward, concerns passing places. We have dealt with the petition at several meetings in the past, most recently on 27 February w...
John Scott: Con
I suggest that we write to the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland with all the information that is contained in the petitions, to ensure that A...
The Convener: Lab
We will send to ACPOS copies of all the correspondence that the petition has generated.
John Scott: Con
It might be interesting to find out how many prosecutions there have been in the Scottish Courts over such offences. Without wishing to prejudge the matter, ...
The Convener: Lab
Individual members should lodge parliamentary questions on such an issue. As the committee is pursuing this petition, we should by all means pass the corresp...
The Convener: Lab
The next petition is PE259, from Mrs Kirsty Dickson, on the subject of telecommunications masts. She asked the Parliament to take immediate action to stop th...
Helen Eadie: Lab
It is important for Mrs Dickson to know that her views are strongly supported within the Parliament. Motions and parliamentary questions about the issue have...
Dorothy-Grace Elder: SNP
I guess that Helen Eadie's comments describe the committee's unanimous view.There are several aspects of the matter that I do not like at all. The Executive ...
John Scott: Con
The Executive has not attempted to exercise—in the short term, at least—the precautionary principle. The Stewart inquiry reported in May last year, and it is...
John Farquhar Munro: LD
When will the planning legislation that controls the installation of the masts become effective?
The Convener: Lab
The new controls will be introduced in the middle of the year. There is no harm in indicating that members of this committee, the Transport and the Environme...
Dorothy-Grace Elder: SNP
One has to consider house builders. I am currently dealing with a case in Glasgow Baillieston that involves a nice little estate being built by Barratt Homes...
The Convener: Lab
It has been pointed out that part of the reason for the delay in replying was that a consultation exercise was being conducted. That is important and takes t...
Dorothy-Grace Elder: SNP
It will be almost a year before—
John Scott: Con
The Executive will delay for ever.
The Convener: Lab
You would complain if there was no consultation. The Executive has made a fair point. It had to take time to consult.
Helen Eadie: Lab
The Executive could have written to the committee to tell us that a consultation process was taking place.
The Convener: Lab
It should have done.
Helen Eadie: Lab
It is unforgivable that the Executive did not do so. The critical point is that the public are asking simply for an absolute assurance that there will be no ...
Dorothy-Grace Elder: SNP
You and other people admit that there could be a risk. That is why you do not want masts on schools and hospitals. If we crack down heavily on the companies ...
Helen Eadie: Lab
I have never been in any doubt that there is a safety issue. The International Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines are European guideli...
John Scott: Con
It is significant that, at least since Christmas, the National Radiological Protection Board has changed its position on the dangers of electromagnetic radia...
The Convener: Lab
There are real risks. I am not trying to underplay those in any way. Big issues are at stake. There is a business perspective. As the Executive letter points...
John Scott: Con
Absolutely. In a sense, the Executive is saying that there cannot be omelettes without breaking eggs. Let us break them carefully and gently and exercise the...
The Convener: Lab
What do members suggest in response to the Executive?
John Scott: Con
First, the Executive should get a move on, suggest proposals and get the matter discussed in Parliament. Secondly, those proposals should take account of the...
The Convener: Lab
Should there be early legislation?
Helen Eadie: Lab
There is urgency now; there has been a long delay.