Protect wild wrasse stocks
- 527 Signatures
Wild-caught wrasse are used as cleaner fish to tackle lice in aquaculture facilities. They are caught in creels and landed or sold directly to salmon farms. Data is available for those landed, showing peaks and declines consistent with local extirpation.
Wrasse are associated with rocky reefs and other Priority Marine Features under the Habitats Directive Annex 1, creating a requirement to properly manage the wrasse fishery in or near these sites.
Wrasse are long-lived and territorial predators, with unusual reproductive patterns. This makes them vulnerable to over-catching, and opening a fishery for them without baseline data and a fisheries management plan is inappropriate and against the terms of the 2020 Fisheries Act. Local extirpations affect other wild fish species, both target and non-target. Action was promised to better protect wild wrasse beyond the limited 2021 measures, perhaps in line with better practice in English waters, but nothing has been forthcoming.
Safeguard Scottish Listed Buildings at risk of unnecessary demolition
- 3,836 Signatures
The emergency powers in the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 can, in our view, allow for the demolition of listed buildings without sufficient evidence to justify the decision. This is in conflict with planning safeguards in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997. The following policy controls are needed to address this loophole in legislation and to ensure listed buildings (LBs) are not exposed to unjust demolition:
1. Enhanced policy guidance on the minimum evidence and processes required by local authorities before making decisions on the demolition of LBs under emergency powers.
2. A mandatory policy requirement for local authorities to engage with conservation accredited engineers in all cases involving LBs.
Between 2018 and 2022, an average of three people every year were granted an absolute discharge as a result of receiving a guilty verdict for sexual assault. It should be noted that absolute discharges will be included in the conviction statistics for these crimes, which are already unacceptably low (Rape:48%, sexual assault 57% compared to 88% average conviction rate of all crimes). An even lower number are registered as sex offenders as a result of these convictions. Information on the Scottish Sentencing Council and Scottish Government websites state that an absolute discharge is used in “exceptional circumstances” or when the judge feels the crime that has been committed “does not merit any form of punishment”. Those who truly believe in justice for victims of sexual assault will agree that there is not any circumstance that is exceptional enough to allow a person found guilty of sexual assault to go unpunished, and that sexual assault always merits a form of punishment.
Repeal the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021
- Final Signatures: 51
It is my view that the legislation is in violation of the European Convention of Human Rights and Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, fails the compatibility criteria with the said legislation, and is not fit for purpose.
This legislation will never face scrutiny by the courts and requires immediate repeal for the good of Scotland. Its intentions may have been good but the law the Scottish Government created is foul and frankly impossible for the police to enforce.
The UK Government repealed S.225 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 exhibiting maturity and common sense when legislation is errant. The Scottish Government should do the same.
In England, Scotland, and Wales, it's not illegal for someone between the ages of five and 17 to drink alcohol at home or on other private premises. But this does not mean it is recommended. The best advice for young people's health and wellbeing is an alcohol-free childhood.
It was brought to my attention by Police Scotland and social services that children are allowed to consume alcohol from age 5 in their home or private premises.
There is a focus to increase the cost of alcohol to help tackle problems. Scotland has issues with many adults abusing alcohol. I believe this situation doesn't help. We need to support our children to make the right decisions and not hide behind loop-holes in the law but instead change them.
Provide Defibrillators for all Primary and Secondary Schools in Scotland
- 576 Signatures
After a trip to our local Operation Safety event, we looked into the availability of defibrillators in our local area. We were shocked to find out how under resourced our local area was. We do have a local defibrillator but we discovered it was too far away to have a positive impact on anybody who might suffer a cardiac arrest at our school. During events, busy periods we could have up to 400 - 500 people on site. It is not safe enough to not have an AED at hand.
We decided to raise money to buy an AED ourselves. We have learned a lot about enterprise, AEDs, the circulatory system, and how important these devices are.
Our schools are worryingly under resourced compared to other parts of the UK. Providing defibrillators in schools will also help local communities and should be considered as a matter of urgency. The lives of pupils and staff members are being put at risk.
Please help us to get them provided in ALL schools.
Provide essential investment in the Gaelic language to secure its future
- 1,150 Signatures
Investment in Gaelic development creates jobs, particularly in marginalised rural and island communities, and has a positive impact across numerous policy priorities.
Two panels of Government appointed experts estimated in the early 2000s that to fulfil its obligations Bòrd na Gàidhlig would need an annual budget of £10 million. It has only ever received around £5 million per year, which has never risen in line with inflation.
Gaelic community development is chronically underfunded and suffers real-terms cuts year on year. This comes against a worsening trend of language-shift in the island and rural communities and insufficient support nationally. We face the very real threat that Gaelic will cease to exist as a community language.
If Bòrd na Gàidhlig's initial budget had increased in line with inflation it would have reached between £8.5m and £10m for 2024/25. Even that increase would leave it below the level recommended in the early 2000s.
If the Scottish Government, and Parliament, are serious about securing Gaelic's future then investment in it must be brought to adequate levels.
Review and update the Scottish Ministerial Code
- 10 Signatures
I think the changes set out above would strengthen public standards in Scotland.
Through a statutory code (which Northern Ireland and partly Canada has), a First Minister (FM) would be unable to not have a Code.
Through self-initiated investigations by the IA, a FM could not block such investigations.
A statement in Parliament would enable an explanation as to why a FM has not taken the IAs advice.
The IAs should be able to offer their views on any potential short-comings of the Code itself so to improve it.
The IAs title gives an impression of judicial involvement which is misleading.
Ministers making public oaths would improve public confidence in adhering to it.
I also recommend the following reports which are useful reading:
* [Upholding Standards in Public Life – Published Report] (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/upholding-standards-in-public-life-published-report)
* [Institute for Government | Updating the ministerial code] (https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/report/updating-ministerial-code)
* [UK Governance Project – final report] (https://www.ukgovernanceproject.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Governance-Project-Final-Report-31.1.24.pdf)
Under the above Act, a person can be detained and treated for 28 days under a Short-Term Detention Certificate based on the medical opinion of a single psychiatrist. Two signatures should be required on the certificate before detention.
In the English version of the Mental Health Act, it requires two medical opinions before someone can be treated against their will.
The first phase of the introduction of Martha’s Rule will be implemented in the NHS in England and Wales from April 2024. Once fully implemented, patients, families, carers and staff will have round-the-clock access to a rapid review from a separate care team if they are worried about a person’s condition.
Currently a person’s treatment can be reviewed by a Mental Health Tribunal after 28 days or by a Designated Medical Practitioner after 2 months. However, these opinions occur after a person has commenced medication and may already have gone through a personality change or suffered restraint and do not get a true picture of a person’s state of mind.
Improve the public consultation processes for energy infrastructure projects
- 3,585 Signatures
Communities across North East Scotland have serious concerns about the quality and transparency of the public consultation accompanying SSEN Transmission’s East Coast 400kV Phase 2 project.
SSEN’s engagement with communities has been rushed, and insufficient effort has been made to understand and communicate the full impact of the proposals to impacted communities. There have been inconsistencies between information presented in SSEN’s published material and their contact with community representatives. Many affected residents were unaware of the plans and it has fallen to local campaigners to raise awareness.
These concerns have had a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of residents, who are worried about their health, businesses, property value, cultural heritage, and the loss of prime agricultural land.
The Scottish Government must use all available levers to improve the public consultation processes for energy infrastructure projects and ensure they are carried out with the consent of the affected communities.