25.08.2015
Questioning the Transport Minister on improvements to the A83 Rest and be Thankful; celebrating the preservation of an ancient monument; and hearing a call for the number of boats flying a Scottish Ensign flag to be boosted will all be discussed when the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee comes to Inveraray next month.
Since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999, the Public Petitions Committee has received more than 1,500 petitions from the public. Petitions can result in a wide range of actions, including parliamentary debate and changes to law and policy direction. At its meeting on Monday 7 September the Committee will focus on three, local petitions.
Deputy Convener of the Public Petitions Committee, David Torrance MSP said:
“The Committee has given robust, long-term support to two petitions brought by local people – local councillor Douglas Philand’s call for a permanent solution to the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful, and Jess Smith’s call for the Tinker’s Heart monument to be preserved and restored. We are visiting the Tinkers’ Heart and A83 sites to see first-hand how these petitions have progressed. The Committee wants to understand the challenges faced and see the expected solutions taking shape.”
“The visit to the Tinkers’ Heart site is a chance to celebrate an outstanding result for Jess Smith. Following pressure from Jess Smith, and the Committee, Historic Scotland made a fresh appraisal of the Tinkers’ Heart. The Committee greatly welcomes the new status of the Tinkers’ Heart as a monument of national importance; and in particular the increased co-operation between Jess Smith, Historic Scotland and the landowner of the Tinkers’ Heart site, which has led to such a positive solution.”
Mr Torrance continued:
“But there is serious work yet to be done when it comes to the A83. Although the Committee is encouraged that a task force including local councillors and members of the Scottish Government has been charged with coming up with a solution to keep the Rest and be Thankful open year-round, we want to be convinced that a clear timetable for a permanent, cost-effective solution is established. The health and livelihoods of many local people depend upon the right result.
“After the visits to the Rest and be Thankful site, Transport Minister Derek Mackay will be questioned by the Committee at a formal meeting at the Argyll Hotel, to find out what more can be done to progress this important matter.”
Mr Torrance commented:
“The Committee is keen to welcome as many local people as possible to be part of the audience at our formal meeting at the Argyll Hotel. As well as the opportunity to hear the Transport Minister discuss the future of the Rest and be Thankful, we will also hear for the first time from petitioner and Isle of Bute resident George MacKenzie on his bid to boost the number of boats flying a Scottish Ensign flag with a St Andrew’s Cross in place of the Union Jack on the traditional “Red Duster.”
“There will also be a question and answer session where local people can find out more about how they can petition the Scottish Parliament about the issues that matter to them.”
Background
Photographs of the Public Petitions Committee Inveraray visit will be available free of charge. Media is welcome to join the Committee during its visits and formal meeting. Please contact the media office for further details.
Public Petitions Committee: visit itinerary
10.15 Committee arrives Rest and Be Thankful car park
10.30 Site visit – driving along the road and the Military Road in a minibus, including a talk from officials
11.30 Committee travels to Tinkers’ Heart
11.45 Arrive Tinkers’ Heart
12.10 Depart Tinkers’ Heart
13.55 Open doors to Committee meeting, Argyll Hotel
14.00 Meeting starts
14.00 Convener opening remarks
14.05 – New petition on Scottish Red Ensign
14.35 – Rest and Be Thankful evidence from Transport Minister
15.20 – Tinkers’ Heart petition
15.30 – Meeting formally closes
15.30 –Public Q&A
16.00 Q&A formally closes.
Photos
Photographs of the Public Petitions Committee Inveraray visit will be available free of charge.
Media
Media is welcome to join the Committee during its visits and formal meeting. Please contact the media office for further details.
A83 at the Rest and be Thankful site: background
Read more about the petition calling for a permanent solution to the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful.
The Tinker’s Heart: background
The Tinkers’ Heart has been declared a site of historical significance following a campaign taken forward by the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee. The Tinkers’ Heart is a pattern of quartz stones which was laid at an Argyll crossroads. It is thought to be around 250 years old and has been used by generations of Scottish Travellers as a wedding place and for children to be blessed.
Now located in a field, years of cattle grazing at the site had meant the monument was in danger of being lost. A petition was submitted to the Public Petitions Committee by Jess Smith asking for more to be done to save the monument.
Historic Scotland has now written to the Committee to confirm that the site will be declared a monument of national importance. The letter also sets out the vision for the preservation and maintenance of the site.
The petition from Jess Smith was first considered by the Committee in September 2014 when it heard from Ms Smith about the importance of the site. It was then considered again in December 2014 and in February 2015 the Committee took evidence from Historic Scotland and Fiona Hyslop MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs.
Read more about the petition to 'Give the Tinkers' Heart of Argyll back to the Travelling People'.
Red Ensign petition: background
Read more about the petition calling for the re-introduction of Scottish Red Ensign.
Petitions Committee: background
Creating a petition is simple and the process is designed to be open and accessible to all. Your petition needs only one signature, there is no age restriction and petitions can be submitted in any language and format, including British Sign Language, and Braille. If you would like some support, the clerking team can help. Once your petition is lodged, the team also makes sure you’re regularly updated on its progress.
All we ask is that before taking your petition to the Scottish Parliament, you can demonstrate the steps you have already taken to resolve the issue. You might have already contacted your MSP, local councillor or the Scottish Government directly, for example. If this hasn’t proved successful, it could be that the Public Petitions Committee is the next step to getting your issue heard.
A petition calling for stronger NHS support for chronic pain sufferers led to the Government’s announcement of a new Centre for Chronic Pain earlier this year, and petitions from the public have been a crucial factor in bringing about better access to cancer drugs, lifting the cap on discretionary housing payments for people affected by the bedroom tax, encouraging Caledonian MacBrayne to deliver Wi-Fi on their ferries and even the Scots Pine being designated as Scotland’s National Tree.
Above all petitions are an opportunity to explain to Holyrood and Scotland’s elected members why an issue is important and what action must be taken to make our lives better.
Find out how to submit a petition