Present:

Apologies were received from:Pauline McNeill, Margaret Smith.

The meeting opened at 2.07 pm.

1. Consideration of petitions. Members considered and agreed action on the following petitions:

PE176 Petition by Mr J McMillan calling for the Scottish Parliament to create an independent body to investigate and prosecute complaints against the Police, where the Crown Office and Police Complaints Department have failed to fully investigate complaints.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee to note and then take into account when considering the review of the Police Complaints System. The Committee also agreed to pass a copy of the petition to the Crown Office to be taken into account during the review.

PE177 Petition by Mr John R. D. Stewart calling for the Scottish Parliament to remove the requirement for members of the legal profession to provide statements on an individual and corporate basis of the amount of legal aid they receive in any given period.

After hearing evidence from the petitioner, the Committee agreed that the petition was misleading and therefore asked the Clerk to write to the petitioner suggesting that he resubmit his petition.

PE178 Petition by Scottish members of the British Aggregates Association calling for the Scottish Parliament to investigate the implications for the Scottish economy of the aggregates tax and to make representations as appropriate to the Westminster Parliament.

The Committee agreed the pass the petition to the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee with the suggestion that it consult with other subject Committees as appropriate.

PE181 Petition by William H. Watson on behalf of Haddington and District Community Council calling for the Scottish Parliament to ask the Scottish Executive to ensure that developments around Meadowpark, Haddington are subject to conditional planning permission to ensure child safety measures are undertaken.

PE182 Petition by William H. Watson on behalf of Haddington and District Community Council calling for the Scottish Parliament to ask East Lothian Council various questions relating to physical safety measures at and around Haddington Infant School.

The Committee agreed to seek the view of East Lothian Council on PE182, drawing their attention to the 1375 signatures on the petition. The Committee also agreed to pass petition PE181 to the Minister for Transport and the Environment to be included in the Planning Division and Inquiry Reporters Unit consideration of this case.

PE184 Petition by Federation of Child Poverty Action Groups in Scotland calling for the Scottish Parliament to extend the entitlement to free school meals to all families receiving the new tax credits and to introduce and develop nutritional standards in schools.

The Committee agreed the pass the petition to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee with the suggestion that it consult with other subject Committees as appropriate.

PE179 Petition by Mr Frank Harvey calling for the Scottish Parliament to make representations to the Prime Minister regarding the tenders for Roll-on Roll-off ferries required by the Ministry of Defence.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning to take into consideration with other representations he has received on this matter.

PE180 Petition by Steve Ratcliffe calling for the Scottish Parliament to publish a full and concise report into the costs of the new Scottish Parliament Building.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the SPCB to note and respond to the petitioner with confirmation of the current position.

PE185 Petition by Thomas McKissock calling for the Scottish Parliament take the necessary steps to establish a scheme of compensation to assist people in Scotland who have contracted hepatitis C infection as a consequence of infected blood transfusions.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the Health and Community Care Committee to take into consideration with PE45.

PE186 Petition by National Federation of Sub Postmasters calling for the Scottish Parliament to influence Westminster Government in whatever way possible to prevent the introduction of the Automated Credit Transfer System and to resurrect the Benefit Agency's Swipe Card for payments of benefits at the Post Office.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the Rural Affairs and Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee for further consideration.

PE187 Petition by the Scottish Gamekeepers Association calling for the Scottish Parliament to allow limited licensed culling of raptors under the terms of the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act in areas where local populations have increased beyond normal levels.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the Rural Affairs Committee and the Transport and Environment Committee to take into consideration with PE8.

PE188 Petition by Russ McLean calling for the Scottish Parliament to enable Caledonian MacBrayne the state owned Scottish Ferry company to take over the Campbeltown to Ballycastle route which is critically important to the fragile economies of Argyll and Antrim.

The Committee agreed to seek the views of the Minister for Transport and the Environment on the petition. The Committee also agreed to pass the petition to the Transport and Environment Committee and the Rural Affairs Committee to note. In addition, the Committee also asked that the Clerk write to the petitioner seeking further information on the urgency of the issues in the petition.

PE189 Petition by St Michael's Parish Church calling for the Scottish Parliament to put into place legally binding guidelines which affirm the centrality of Marriage and the Family in Society should clause 28 of the Local Government Act be repealed.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the Local Government Committee for further consideration.

2. Current Petitions: The committee reviewed the current petitions. The following points were raised:

PE47 Petition by Mr James Strang concerning the Criminal Legal Aid (Fixed Payments) Regulations 1999.

The Committee agreed to pass the letter received from the Scottish Executive to the petitioner as it answered the issues raised in the petition.

PE130 Petition by Mr Paul Shanks calling for the Scottish Parliament to investigate the potential effects of the proposed closure of the Carrick Street Centre, Ayr on the social justice targets of the Scottish Executive.

The Committee agreed that the Convener should write to South Ayrshire Council noting their response and expressing the Committee’s concern that the main service provided at the Centre is no longer available.

PE133 Petition by Mr Frank Loughridge on behalf of Longriggend Residents Association calling for the Scottish Parliament to ensure the roads and lights are upgraded at Longriggend (Remand Unit) in order they be adopted by the local Council.

The Committee agreed to pass the response from North Lanarkshire Council to the petitioner and take no further action.

PE136 Petition by Training Adults in the Community calling for the Scottish Parliament to persuade West Lothian Council to increase funding of the Training Adults in the Community (TAIC) project to levels which will allow TAIC to continue to provide a service.

The Committee agreed to send a copy of the response from West Lothian Council to the petitioners and also to the Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee, the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee and Equal Opportunities Committee. The Committee also agreed to seek further information from West Lothian Council on the alternative service provision.

PE175 Petition by Neil M Kay on behalf of the School Board of Toward Primary School calling for the Scottish Parliament to investigate Argyll and Bute Council's School Closure Programme, using the proposed closure of Toward Primary School as an indicative case.

The Committee agreed to pass the letter from Argyll and Bute Council to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee, and to send a copy to the petitioner.




3. Convener’s Report:

The Committee agreed to that the visit with the European Ombudsman, Jacob Soderman, had provided some valuable information on the role of ombudsmen.

The visit by Gauteng Province Legislature had been agreed for the 22-23 May 2000. It was agreed that the Public Petitions Meeting on Tuesday 23 May be held at 3.30 pm to ensure that a suitable Committee room is available to accommodate the delegation. There will be an informal lunch for the Gauteng Province Legislature with the Public Petitions Committee on Tuesday 23 May at 1.00 pm.

The meeting moved into private session at 15.42 pm




4. Petitions Procedures

The meeting closed at 16.42 pm.