{"links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions.json","first":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions.json","last":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions.json?page=26","next":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions.json?page=2","prev":null},"data":[{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2211","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2211.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Follow the science and broaden eligibility for Covid vaccines","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to recognise the flaws in JCVI guidance and broaden eligibility for updated Covid vaccines (including Novavax) to include those at moderate and high risk.","background_information":"The latest JCVI guidance (adopted by UK Government June 2025 see: https://tinyurl.com/JCVIadvice2025 ) reduces eligibility of vaccines for unclear reasons. Teachers, health and care workers have had this withdrawn - alongside carers, vulnerable people and disabled people; this discriminates against the poor, whose health is already negatively impacted.\r\n \r\nIn addition to the suffering and distress caused by acute Covid infections, Long Covid and other health consequences (sequelae) of catching Covid are leading to increasing levels of illness and disability, which impacts all aspects of society and the economy.\r\n \r\nIn Autumn 2024 health and care workers in Scotland were eligible for Covid vaccines - a precedent for disengaging from JCVI guidance, and a privilege of Health being devolved to Holyrood.\r\nIn calling for further disengagement from JCVI guidance, it is important to consider the serious flaws in the JCVI's position, see: https://elephant19.substack.com/p/the-flaws-in-jcvis-position","petitioner":"Peter Barlow","status":"closed","signature_count":139,"created_at":"2025-09-03T09:52:59.853Z","updated_at":"2026-02-16T16:49:02.276Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-12-01T14:09:05.417Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-12-01T14:09:05.417Z","closed_at":"2026-02-11T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Peter Barlow","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2210","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2210.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Improve access to local healthcare in rural communities","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to improve access to local healthcare in rural communities by:\r\n\r\n* ensuring that GP practices resume inclusive emergency care pathways at all hours\r\n* ensuring on-call doctors are available in GP practices and emergency clinics, including after hours\r\n* removing telephone triaging, telephone appointments and remote diagnosing\r\n* prohibiting GP receptionists from requesting private health information or redirecting patients to other disciplines","background_information":"I am a retired but well trained nurse in various disciplines. Sadly I witness a worrying decline in quality and accessibility of healthcare services, particularly in rural areas. Clinics have been downgraded, leaving the rural population with inferior care and without access to emergency care or face-to-face appointments. Patients are treated by short-term GPs, therefore lacking continuity, and are being treated with indifference. Patients now face long waits and travel to distant hospitals. Many are fragile or unable to drive. We are expected to accept phone consultations. This is an unsafe and impersonal approach that can increase the risk of misdiagnosis. Clerical staff began the process of triaging or often give different opinions. After hour care does not exist. Why? The Hippocratic oath no longer exists. Safety, wellbeing and confidentiality are abandoned! We ask that the Scottish Government urgently restore rural clinic services, address the need for after hour care, diagnose in a proper manner and bring back \"caring\". ","petitioner":"Nora Fry","status":"closed","signature_count":69,"created_at":"2025-10-21T10:29:06.897Z","updated_at":"2026-02-16T16:48:46.984Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-12-01T13:55:10.343Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-12-01T13:55:10.343Z","closed_at":"2026-02-11T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Nora Fry","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2209","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2209.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Make CCTV mandatory in all taxis and private hire vehicles","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to make CCTV mandatory in all taxis and private hire vehicles. ","background_information":"The Casey Audit defined a clear link between the use of taxis/private hire vehicles, gang rape and group based child sexual exploitation. \r\n\r\nThere is also a link in national drug running and child trafficking. \r\n\r\nCharities involved in protecting women from sexual abuse have identified this mode of transport as a risk. \r\n\r\nThey have also carried out preliminary studies that suggest that CCTV offers increased protection in local communities. \r\n\r\nWe want the Government to pass legislation requiring all taxis and private hire vehicles to be fitted with operational CCTV to ensure the safety of both passengers and drivers. ","petitioner":"Joanna Kerr","status":"closed","signature_count":59,"created_at":"2025-08-02T13:38:05.295Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:18:13.664Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-11-14T11:26:05.857Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-11-14T11:26:05.857Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Joanna Kerr","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2208","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2208.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Implement mandatory collection and publication of child sexual offender data","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to:\r\n\r\n* place a statutory requirement on public bodies to collect statistics on the nationality, ethnicity, immigration status and religion of child sexual offenders\r\n\r\n* to collate and publish the data annually.","background_information":"The Casey Audit recommended a National Inquiry into predominantly Pakistani grooming gangs, where victim profiles were that of majority Caucasian girls. The Casey Audit emphasised that poor data collection inhibited accurate profiling of group based child sex offenders, recommending improved data collection. \r\n\r\nThe Audit described profiles of the act of grooming employed by gangs and an association of asylum seekers with child sexual exploitation gangs. \r\n\r\nSenior Scottish institutional figures have recognised that grooming gangs have existed in Scotland for the last decade. \r\n\r\nAction has been promised but nothing has occurred. \r\n\r\nData collection by Police Scotland and other bodies is woefully inadequate. Communication and knowledge are key safeguarding requirements in terms of preventing child sexual abuse. \r\n\r\nIn over 50% of cases related to sexual crimes, nationality and ethnicity are not recorded. Police Scotland also stated that public disclosure of current statistics revealing the profile of sexual crime data would be too expensive to retrieve. \r\n\r\nPublication of this data is particularly important in light of recent asylum policies. ","petitioner":"Joanna Kerr","status":"closed","signature_count":130,"created_at":"2025-07-17T20:35:33.579Z","updated_at":"2026-03-17T09:46:40.182Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-11-14T11:21:24.382Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-11-14T11:21:24.382Z","closed_at":"2026-03-11T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Joanna Kerr","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2207","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2207.json"},"attributes":{"title":"I demand the Scottish Parliament create a pilot court to try Russian war criminals with Ukraine","summary":"I demand that the Scottish Government establish a pilot court to try Russian war criminals in cooperation with Ukraine and international bodies. This will make Scotland a center of international justice, ensuring punishment for the guilty, protection of victims, and adherence to international law, strengthening the country's authority globally and demonstrating commitment to justice and international legal principles. ","background_information":"The situation with Russian war crimes in Ukraine is massive and systematic: killings of civilians, torture, deportations, and destruction of infrastructure. International tribunals, including the ICC in The Hague, and Ukrainian national courts are physically and procedurally unable to efficiently handle all cases, especially against mid- and lower-level command personnel. Ukraine needs partners to transfer some cases to expedite justice and protect victims’ rights. Scotland has an independent judicial system, experience cooperating with international organizations, and infrastructure to hold trials, including in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Establishing a pilot court would allow cases against Russian war criminals to be heard on Scottish territory, ensuring transparency, compliance with international law, and witness protection. This would set an example for other countries and strengthen the international justice system. ","petitioner":"Sviatoslav Rozenko","status":"closed","signature_count":15,"created_at":"2025-09-20T21:16:39.650Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:17:53.244Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-11-14T11:14:12.874Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-11-14T11:14:12.874Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Sviatoslav Rozenko","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2206","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2206.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Review the weighting for single-track roads in the road maintenance funding formula","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to:\r\n•\treview the single-lane road weighting in the road maintenance funding formula, and either consider increasing it, or adapt the formula to reflect static or similar overheads for any road width\r\n•\tconduct an assessment of single-lane road overhead costs for rural local authorities, and their impact on funding formulas across all road-related allocations.","background_information":"Single-track roads are counted as half as costly as two-lane roads despite similar/identical overhead costs like ditches/drains/bridges/signage. This means local councils with more single-track road miles lose a disproportionate amount of road maintenance funding.\r\n\r\nAs shown on page 40 of the [Scottish Local Government Finance ‘Green Book’ 2025-26](https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2025/02/scottish-local-government-finance---green-book-2025-26/documents/scottish-local-government-finance-green-book-for-grant-aided-expenditure-and-other-allocations-2025-26/scottish-local-government-finance-green-book-for-grant-aided-expenditure-and-other-allocations-2025-26/govscot%3Adocument/scottish-local-government-finance-green-book-grant-aided-expenditure-allocations-2025-26.pdf), the road maintenance funding formula takes the total road miles in a council area and multiplies them by the number of lanes. Based on this formula, a standard road with one lane in each direction would receive double the weighting of a single-track road.\r\n\r\nGiven this, and because road maintenance funding is provided as a single pot to use over all road types in a local authority area, the issue also impacts people in towns and villages, as well as people on single-track roads in those local authorities.","petitioner":"Jack McConnel","status":"closed","signature_count":6,"created_at":"2025-10-05T20:38:27.425Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:17:33.421Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-11-05T12:38:42.816Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-11-05T12:38:42.816Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Jack McConnel","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2205","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2205.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Extend access to justice by reforming court rules in equality and human rights claims","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to:\r\n\r\n* remove or raise the £5,000 monetary limit in Simple Procedure for claims brought under the Equality Act 2010 and Human Rights Act 1998; and\r\n* extend Qualified One-Way Cost Shifting (QOCS) to cover equality and human rights claims.","background_information":"I am petitioning to ensure vulnerable individuals who can’t afford or access legal representation are not deterred from seeking justice due to financial risks.  \r\n\r\nThe current civil justice framework prevents many ordinary people from enforcing their rights. Under Simple Procedure, individuals can only bring claims worth up to £5,000, excluding many discrimination and human rights cases. Claims above this value must be raised under Ordinary Cause, a complex and costly process that usually requires legal representation. Additionally, some personal injury actions under £5000 must be raised using another procedure called summary cause. The systems in Scotland are too complex for an ordinary person to access. This contrasts with England and Wales whereby the small claims systems have higher thresholds (£10000) and any claim starts by filling in a form in the Court outlining your statement. This allows unrepresented parties to use the civil justice framework with ease and without the need for a Solicitor. Finally, the legal aid situation has not improved in Scotland.","petitioner":"Daniel Donaldson","status":"closed","signature_count":16,"created_at":"2025-10-10T15:27:00.925Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:15:47.051Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-11-03T12:14:24.132Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-11-03T12:14:24.132Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Daniel Donaldson","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2204","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2204.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Create a national database to record patient outcomes for endometriosis treatments","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to create a national database to record patient outcomes for medications, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and all other hormone therapies used to treat or manage endometriosis.","background_information":"There is no national record tracking outcomes. Women are placed on drugs for months or years — often more than once — without an evidence base on effectiveness, side effects or long-term impact to support informed decision-making. We deserve transparency, data and accountability in our care. Women’s health should not exist in silence or guesswork. \r\n\r\nThis petition is not anti-treatment — it is pro-evidence and pro-patient safety. We need a national database to ensure every person with endometriosis receives care guided by real outcomes, not assumptions. \r\n\r\nI have personally been on these drugs for years, and I have never been shown any evidence of success rates, risks, or long-term impact. This would never be accepted in any other area of medicine. \r\n \r\nIt’s time to change that. \r\n\r\nI’m calling for a mandatory national database to track real-world outcomes of endometriosis treatments and HRT. Women’s health deserves evidence, not silence. ","petitioner":"Candice McKenzie","status":"closed","signature_count":1333,"created_at":"2025-10-10T19:12:16.959Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:15:29.048Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-11-03T12:07:31.784Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-11-03T12:07:31.784Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Candice McKenzie","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2203","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2203.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Make schools in Scotland safe for pupils with allergies","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to close the allergy safeguard gap by introducing legislation to mandate and fund all schools to:\r\n\r\n* hold in date Adrenaline Auto-Injector\r\n* have an allergy policy \r\n* provide allergy training for all school staff on emergency response, preventing reactions, and allergy awareness. ","background_information":"Allergy is the most common chronic condition among children, affecting around two pupils in every Scottish classroom. 18% of all food allergy reactions and a quarter of first-time anaphylaxis episodes happening in schools.  Fatal allergic reactions among children happen more in school than in any other setting. \r\n\r\nA 2024 FOI revealed fewer than 1 in 20 schools in Scotland have all four recommended allergy safeguards in place; almost half (49%) have no allergy policy; only 8% hold spare adrenaline auto-injector allergy pens; and nearly a third of schools don’t provide allergy training. This is a dangerous postcode lottery.","petitioner":"Helen Blythe","status":"closed","signature_count":939,"created_at":"2025-10-01T13:48:45.178Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:15:15.507Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-11-03T11:59:12.903Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-11-03T11:59:12.903Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Helen Blythe","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2202","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2202.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Stop the Guga Hunt","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to amend Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to remove the power to grant licences for taking Gannets on Sula Sgeir. ","background_information":"I have devoted my life to Scotland’s seabirds; photographing for National Geographic as avian influenza devastated colonies, winning Wildlife Photographer of the Year (Natural Artistry) and Bird Photographer of the Year (Portfolio). I have spent years volunteering on seabird islands across Scotland, including with the Scottish Seabird Centre, working hands-on to protect these birds I love so dearly. The annual Guga Hunt is no longer tradition — it is blood sport. This abhorrent cruelty dates back centuries, when island communities relied on seabirds for food, but today it is not a necessity. Despite catastrophic losses from avian influenza and unimaginable daily threats, the hunt continues. \r\n\r\nAfter surviving a winter at sea, Gannets return to our shores to raise one precious chick with a lifelong partner. After months of devotion, that chick is snatched, clubbed, and strangled in its prime.  \r\n\r\nI beg the Scottish Government: end this cruelty, protect Gannets, and let them recover. ","petitioner":"Rachel Bigsby","status":"under_consideration","signature_count":102937,"created_at":"2025-09-22T11:05:37.772Z","updated_at":"2026-03-26T08:59:27.000Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-11-03T11:52:55.500Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-11-03T11:52:55.500Z","closed_at":null,"archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Rachel Bigsby","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2201","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2201.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Introduce a legal requirement to notify parents and carers by the end of the school day when an incident involving their child occurs","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to place a legal duty on schools to inform parents and carers by the end of the school day if their child is involved in any incident or allegation that affects their safety, wellbeing or dignity. ","background_information":"I am the parent of a 9-year-old child with Additional Support Needs. On more than one occasion, I have not been informed in a timely manner about serious incidents involving my child at school. \r\n\r\nWhen my child was hurt by a teacher, I was not told for over two weeks. During this time, my child’s behaviour changed significantly, but without being told what had happened, I could not understand or provide full support. \r\n\r\nMore recently, my child was physically assaulted by a teaching assistant. I was only informed four days later, and initially told almost nothing about the situation. I later discovered that my child’s hair had been pulled, that a medical check took place and that the incident was serious enough to involve the police. None of this was communicated to me at the time. \r\n\r\nThis lack of communication puts children at further risk and prevents parents and carers from supporting their child’s emotional and physical wellbeing.","petitioner":"Tamara Giacopazzi","status":"closed","signature_count":1149,"created_at":"2025-09-11T10:14:27.993Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:14:56.931Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-10-30T13:47:10.168Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-10-30T13:47:10.168Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Tamara Giacopazzi","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2200","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2200.json"},"attributes":{"title":" Provide a sustainable funding model for Scotland’s colleges","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to:\r\n•\tdevelop, publish, and adopt a multi-year funding settlement for Scotland’s colleges (e.g. 3–5 years), rather than rely on annual decisions\r\n•\tcommit to funding that, at minimum, rises in line with inflation, to prevent real-term erosion of college budgets\r\n•\tdeliver a substantive above inflation funding settlement within the 2026/27 Scottish budget that places all colleges in a financially secure position\r\n•\tprovide safety-net baselines for the provision for additional support needs, core student support services and regional or local community access programmes\r\n•\trequire the Scottish Funding Council to give colleges clearer forward figures and simpler in-year rules, to allow planning flexibility for staffing, curriculum, capital investment and community partnership activities, above the three key baselines set out above.","background_information":"Scotland’s colleges are vital for education, skills and community development. They provide opportunities for young people, adult learners and employers while boosting local economies. Dundee & Angus College, with over 18,000 students, is a strong example. An economic report shows its redevelopment could generate £1.8bn for the region, including £130m during construction, alongside increased activity for local businesses Dundee Culture – Economic Impact Report. Despite these benefits, the current funding model for Further Education is unsustainable. \r\n\r\nRecent funding decisions have resulted in:\r\n•\tcurriculum closures (including essential community access routes),\r\n•\tnursery closures on college campuses,\r\n•\tsignificant staff reductions,\r\n•\treduced apprenticeship capacity,\r\n•\tremoval of local sports/coaching provision,\r\n•\treduced availability of ASN and wellbeing support,\r\n•\tsevere strain on estates maintenance and capital projects.\r\n\r\nThese impacts highlight systemic issues and demonstrate the consequences of short-term allocations and real terms cuts of over 20% in the past 5 years.\r\n\r\nThe actions asked for by the petition would allow colleges to:\r\n•\tplan workforce needs,\r\n•\tcommit to long-term curriculum development,\r\n•\tsupport industry transition,\r\n•\tmaintain regional opportunity and inclusion,\r\n•\tremain financially solvent.","petitioner":"Melanie Jane Stuart on behalf of EIS/FELA and Unison at Dundee and Angus College","status":"closed","signature_count":822,"created_at":"2025-09-25T15:27:52.054Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:14:40.848Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-10-30T13:10:04.026Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-10-30T13:10:04.026Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Melanie Jane Stuart on behalf of EIS/FELA and Unison at Dundee and Angus College","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2199","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2199.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Facilitate access to emergency telephone services for remote communities","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to provide robust backup or alternative means to ensure that remote communities are able to contact emergency services in the event of complete power failure.","background_information":"On the Isle of Seil we have been forced to change our phones to VOIP. In the event of power failure this will not work. BT/EE insist that a battery backup for the router, and alternative 4G service are adequate to cope with this eventuality. However, on Seil both the telephone exchange and the only available 4G mast use the same electricity supply and do not have adequate backup. As our telephone boxes have also been removed, in the recent power cuts residents have had no telephone, no internet, no mobile phone and thus no means whatsoever to contact emergency services. It is certain that we are not the only community in this position. A robust backup service must be made available to everyone to permit speedy connection with emergency services. Otherwise it is inevitable that people will die for lack of connectivity.","petitioner":"Timothy Bowles","status":"closed","signature_count":390,"created_at":"2025-10-05T07:34:00.592Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:14:24.465Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-10-30T11:30:23.671Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-10-30T11:30:23.671Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Timothy Bowles","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2198","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2198.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Establish a standardised and fair public participation process for all Scottish councils","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to introduce new legislation or amend existing legislation in order to:\r\n1)\trequire all local authorities in Scotland to adopt, within a specified timeframe, a set of minimum standards for public participation processes (questions, deputations, petitions) that ensure such processes are accessible, transparent, fair, inclusive and consistent across Scotland;\r\n2)\tdesignate a new or existing body to oversee and monitor compliance with such standards and either take or recommend action when these are not met.","background_information":"The petition does _not_ ask the Scottish Government to interfere with local authorities’ democratic mandates, but simply to ensure that fair, transparent and accessible participatory processes are set out and implemented consistently across Scotland’s local communities. Existing laws (such as the Community Empowerment Act) mandate participation but do not always define standards or enforce consistency.\r\n\r\nClackmannanshire Council does not allow deputations or public questions on any matter. In Dundee, RAAC homeowners and campaigners in Dundee have been blocked from speaking at meetings, as councillors failed to respond to repeated requests to raise RAAC as an agenda item. In England, many councils allow public questions without a linked agenda item, helping generate debate and enabling deputations. In Scotland, even when deputations are permitted, responses can be incomplete or entirely ignored, with no formal route for follow-up except at future meetings. Some councils assist the public by advising when they may speak; others provide confusing schedules and expect residents to navigate council calendars alone. The lack of consistency across councils deters meaningful participation and leaves communities without a voice.","petitioner":"Wilson Chowdhry","status":"closed","signature_count":97,"created_at":"2025-07-28T18:10:49.471Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:14:05.276Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-10-30T11:30:11.714Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-10-30T11:30:11.714Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Wilson Chowdhry","rejection":null,"topics":[]}},{"type":"petition","pe_number":"PE2197","links":{"self":"https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2197.json"},"attributes":{"title":"Allow more survivors of care abuse to access redress","summary":"Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to extend Section 18 of the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 to include survivors of abuse that occurred after 2004.","background_information":"Abuse did not stop on 1 December 2004. This exclusion creates inequality, with some survivors recognised and others denied justice simply because of when the abuse happened. This petition calls for redress for survivors of abuse and neglect in the care system. Children in residential and secure care, including myself, experienced repeated emotional abuse, physical assault, sexual assault, daily restraint, and were dragged along corridors. Many of us were moved between placements without support, therapy, or consistency. \r\n\r\nThese failures caused long-term trauma and harm. Personal belongings were often packed into bin bags during relocations, showing the lack of dignity and care provided. I am seeking recognition of the suffering endured and meaningful redress for survivors, to acknowledge the harm caused and begin to provide justice for those affected. \r\n\r\nProviding redress is a crucial step toward accountability, acknowledgement of harm, and ensuring that all survivors are heard and acknowledged. \r\n\r\nScottish Child Abuse Inquiry has official reports on systemic failures in care.","petitioner":"Linsay McRitchie","status":"closed","signature_count":78,"created_at":"2025-08-26T10:37:34.958Z","updated_at":"2026-01-23T12:13:48.179Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2025-10-24T08:33:13.262Z","under_consideration_at":"2025-10-24T08:33:13.262Z","closed_at":"2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","archived_at":null,"submitted_on_paper":false,"submitted_on":null,"creator_name":"Linsay McRitchie","rejection":null,"topics":[]}}]}