Current BID rules and guidelines leave BIDs to decide how to levy businesses based on rateable value.
The Scottish BID regulations SSI 2007/261 Executive Note stated: ‘The BID levy will most commonly be a percentage related to the Rateable Value of the properties in the BID area.’
In England and Wales, 89% of BID levies are based on a percentage of non-domestic rates, and Government endorsed guidelines resulted in a levy norm of 1.55% in 2025.
A single percentage levy based on rateable value means all liable businesses pay the same proportionate percentage rate (This would create a fairer, more consistent approach to BIDs across Scotland).
This petition seeks a national change to the regulations to meet the original legislation’s intention, so that BID levy guidelines recommend a single percentage of rateable value of between 1 and 2% with a statutory upper limit of 4%.
Concerns have been raised by some parents and carers that there is significant inconsistency in how RSHP education is delivered across Scotland, particularly in relation to the age-appropriateness of materials and the way sensitive topics are introduced in primary education.
There is concern that some children may be exposed to content that they are not developmentally ready to process, which may lead to confusion, distress, or difficulty in understanding personal boundaries and safeguarding concepts without sufficient context or support.
Concerns have also been raised regarding safeguarding capacity within the classroom environment, including whether all teaching staff are adequately trained and supported to manage sensitive discussions and potential pupil disclosures in a safe and appropriate manner.
Further concern exists regarding children with additional support needs or trauma histories.
There is currently no clear Scottish legislation regulating where beehives can be placed in relation to public spaces, nor any requirement for safety signage when beekeepers are working on hives. Other activities with far lower risk require visible warnings, yet beekeeping does not.
Two family members, including a young child, were the victims of a severe bee attack in a public access area after encountering a beekeeper working on hives with no warning signs or barriers. When the bees were disturbed, they became defensive and swarmed. Both family members suffered over 150 stings each, had to be airlifted to hospital, and continue to experience ongoing trauma and anxiety.
This incident highlights a serious gap in public safety measures.
Simple, common sense regulation could prevent similar incidents and protect children, vulnerable people, and the wider public.
Review legislation in order to strengthen the Scottish Outdoor Access Code
- 992 Signatures
The petition seeks to acknowledge that the right of responsible access must not be lost.
The success in delivering an increasing number of visitors has not been matched with sufficient infrastructure investment to accommodate them or any operational review process to monitor and improve the experience for visitors and residents. Scotland’s rural attractions are therefore now woefully underserved in several key areas including infrastructure, support and consultation with locally impacted communities and non-tourist related industries.
This is now having a massive environmental impact across Scotland – wild fires, extensive litter and human waste pollution, destruction of and damage to flora and fauna, erosion of road verges by parked cars and vans, obstruction to other road users (including emergency services), fouling of watercourses by chemical waste, barbeques and campfires and damage to significant Scottish heritage sites.
The above is evidenced in the Highland Council Outdoor Access Rangers’ reports.
Our family member, we suspect, is autistic. In August he is due to start our excellent local school. They will make some accommodations to support him but likely he will be very unhappy there and won’t learn much.
We can flexi school or home school or send him to school and risk his mental health and future attainment.
Many children with additional support needs such as his need a smaller, calmer, more structured environment or an alternative approach, which is not possible in an overcrowded classroom.
The local authority has a responsibility to educate these children not to cause them distress and physical harm.
The money could go towards providing a better setting for the child and parents could top up the cost.
Scandinavian countries have a variety of schools to choose from as standard-language immersion, Montessori, Steiner, Arts etc and heavily subsidise private schooling to make it accessible for all.
Review the Mandatory Minimum Five-Year Prison Sentence for Firearms Offences
- 16 Signatures
The mandatory minimum sentence for possession of certain prohibited firearms was introduced in 2003, in response to concerns about gang-related firearms. While this approach is important for public safety, concerns have been raised about the limited flexibility available to courts in unusual circumstances
I believe there are cases where the current mandatory minimum may prevent courts from fully considering factors such as intent, risk posed to the public, personal circumstances, or the wider context of the offence.
Scottish courts must normally impose a minimum five-year custodial sentence unless “exceptional circumstances” are found, this means departures from the statutory minimum are rare.
This has led to situations where individuals who have not used a firearm, have no link to organised crime, or have acquired firearms in unusual circumstances—such as inheritance—may receive the same mandatory custodial sentence as someone involved in serious gang-related crime.
Our Change.org petition has 25,605 signatures and calls for Nicola's Law to End Medical Misogyny in Women's Healthcare.
Endometriosis and other chronic gynaecological conditions affect thousands of women in Scotland, yet diagnosis is often delayed for years.
Many women report feeling dismissed, disbelieved or told their symptoms are “normal”. Persistent unmanaged pain can severely impact education, employment, relationships and mental health. Research shows higher rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts among those living with chronic pain conditions. In January 2024, Nicola died by suicide after years of severe endometriosis and unrelieved pain. Her death highlights the urgent need to address gender bias in healthcare, improve professional training, and ensure women’s physical and psychological symptoms are recognised early and treated with compassion and expertise.
The actions proposed in the petition would support the Scottish Women's Health Plan Women's Health Plan which recognises that women experience health inequalities.
Extend Young Persons' Free Bus Travel to include all under-26s
- 43 Signatures
The current age threshold at 21 creates a significant "cliff-edge" for young people transitioning into the workforce, apprenticeships, or higher education. While the scheme has been transformative for those under 22, the 22-25 age group remains heavily affected by high transport costs during a critical career establishment period.
The Government’s Fairer Scotland Duty requires reducing socio-economic disadvantage. The Under 26 Concessionary Fares Review (2022) identified transport costs as a major barrier to employment. Transport Scotland’s Year 1 Evaluation showed affordability rose from only 26% to 38% even after free travel for under-22s, highlighting ongoing barriers for 22-25 year-olds.
With £414.5 million already allocated to concessionary travel in 2025-26, the estimated £100 million for this extension is a strategic investment in Scotland’s workforce and net-zero goals. As major parties pledged this in their 2026 manifestos, Parliament must now turn these promises into action.
From 6 April 2026, the UK Government’s published LCWRA rates are £429.80 per month for protected claimants and £217.26 per month for most new claimants, a difference of £212.54 per month or £2,550.48 per year.
This creates a two-tier system in which disabled people who are newly assessed after 6 April 2026 receive substantially less support than those already protected. That reduction increases the risk of poverty, worsening health, housing insecurity, and social exclusion.
The Scottish Parliament already has powers to create new benefits in devolved areas and to top up reserved benefits, and Scotland already fully funds mitigation of the bedroom tax through Discretionary Housing Payments, with a published budget of £90.5 million in 2024/25.
This petition calls for an automatic, non-means-tested Scottish top-up payment that covers 100% of the £212.54 monthly gap for all new LCWRA awards in Scotland from 6 April 2026, without application or reassessment.
The type of scale I believe that we should be using is similar to the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where businesses are inspected and then given a hygiene rating between 5 (very good) and 0 (urgent improvement required).
https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/how-food-hygiene-ratings-work