Present:

Apologies were received from: Helen Eadie.

The meeting opened at 2.05 pm.

1. Procedures for Petitions (in private): The Committee reviewed the procedures for handling petitions.
   
   
   

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

PE217 Petition by Glenorchy and Innishail Community Council calling for the Scottish Parliament to take account of the workload and general circumstances of a single General Practitioner in the Parish of Glenorchy and Innishail and appoint an additional part-time partner.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the Health and Community Care Committee for consideration of the national issues the petition raises using the particular circumstances referred to as an indicative case. It was also agreed to pass the petition to the Scottish Medical Practices Committee to comment on the issues raised in the petition.

PE221 Petition by Councillor Rob Murray on behalf of Angus Council calling for the Scottish Parliament to make representation to the Scottish Office in support of Arbroath's case to retain Assisted Area Status.

PE222 Petition by Mr Simon Cole-Hamilton on behalf of the Inverness and District Chamber of Commerce calling for the Scottish Parliament to express its support for the whole of the Highlands and Islands area to be included within the Revised Assisted Area Map and conveys this support to the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Department of Trade and Industry and the European Commission.

The Committee agreed to pass both petitions to the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning for comments on the active criteria for Assisted Area Maps and how they are taken forward. It was also agreed to pass the petitions to the European Committee and the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee for information only.

PE223 Petition by Mr and Mrs A. McQuire calling for the Scottish Parliament to ensure that Multiple Sclerosis sufferers in Lothian are not denied to opportunity to be prescribed Beta Interferon.

The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Health requesting details of the costs of Beta Interferon and the role of the Health, Technology Board for Scotland in this matter. It also agreed to write to Lothian Health Board requesting details of its policy on prescribing Beta Interferon and whether it was operating any pilot prescription schemes.

PE215 Petition by Mr Richard Nicholson calling for the Scottish Parliament not to proceed with the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the Rural Affairs Committee to take into account during their consideration of this Bill.

PE218 Petition by Mr Frank Harvey calling for the Scottish Parliament to ban all Child Curfews in Scotland.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the Chief Constable of Strathclyde police to respond to the petitioner on the issues raised in the petition.

PE219 Petition by Mr Frank Harvey calling for the Scottish Parliament to introduce laws which make the owners of all potentially dangerous dogs keep these animals muzzled at all times, on a short lead and owners who break these laws should be sent to prison.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the relevant Scottish Executive Officials to comment directly to the petitioner on the current legislative situation with regard to dangerous dogs.

PE220 Petition by Mr Frank Harvey calling for the Scottish Parliament to take urgent action to teach all teenage girls self defence at secondary schools in Scotland and to ban professional boxing in Scotland immediately.

The Committee agreed to note the petition and take no further action.

PE224 Petition by Mr G Reid calling for the Scottish Parliament to; redefine the role of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms in relation to the national flag; to prescribe the exact colours and proportions of the Saltire and the appropriate ways of flying it; and to encourage the flying of the national flag.

The Committee agreed to pass the petition to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee to take a view on the reserved issues in the petition.

PE232 Petition by Greenpeace calling for the Scottish Parliament to join with Denmark, Ireland and others in calling for an end to reprocessing at Sellafield and restarting at Dounreay and that the Scottish Parliament transmit this view to the UK Government before the OSPAR Convention on 26 June 2000.

The Committee agreed to pass this petition to the Transport and Environment Committee for information only. It was also agreed that the clerk should write to the petitioner informing them that they should approach MSPs who have an interest in this matter to request that they lodge a motion calling for the action requested in the petition.

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

PE154 Petition by Dr Joanne Beaumont on behalf of Hillhead Primary School Board and School calling for the Scottish Parliament to intervene to overturn the decisions of Glasgow City Council concerning 7 and 8 Alfred Terrace, Glasgow G12.

PE156 Petition by Mrs Jean Charsley on behalf of Hillhead Community Council calling for the Scottish Parliament to intervene to overturn the decisions of Glasgow City Council concerning 7 and 8 Alfred Terrace, Glasgow G12.

The Committee agreed to pass the letter from the Minister for Transport and Environment to the petitioners and then take no further action. The Committee also agreed to inform the petitioners that they may wish to take any alleged irregularities to the Local Ombudsman.

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 pass the response received from East Lothian Council to the petitioner and confirm they are content with this response.

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.

The Committee agreed to pass a copy of the response from the Scottish Executive to the petitioners and to take no further action.

PE173 Petition by Gladys Anderson on behalf of the residents of Ballater calling for the Scottish Parliament to recognise the importance of the Ballater Area Council Office and prevent its closure.

The Committee noted the response from Aberdeenshire Council.




4. Conveners Report

The Convener summarised the decisions reached during the private session at the beginning of the meeting.

The Committee agreed to give comments on the Public Petitions Committee’s contribution to the Parliament’s Annual Report to the Clerk by 23 June 2000. The official photographs of the Committee for the Annual Report will be taken following the summer recess.

The Convener reminded members that the final meeting of the Committee before the recess would be held on Tuesday 4 July and that it will be chaired by the Deputy Convener.

 The meeting closed at 4.27 pm.