Decisions of the Petitions Committee Tuesday 12 March 2019

The Committee considered all e-petitions which had reached over 100,000 signatures, and those over 10,000 signatures which had received a government response, by Friday 8 March. 

Petitions which met these criteria after this date will be considered at the Committee's next meeting on Tuesday 19 March. 

Petition debates

• People found with a knife to get 10 years and using a knife 25 years in prison

The Committee decided to schedule a debate in Westminster Hall on the motion “That this House has considered e-petition 233926 relating to knife crime" on Monday 25 March at 4.30pm. 

Mike Hill MP, a member of the Committee, will open the debate.

• Make online abuse a specific criminal offence and create a register of offenders 

The Committee decided to schedule a debate in Westminster Hall on the motion “That this House has considered e-petition 190627 relating to online abuse” on Monday 1 April at 4.30pm. 

Helen Jones MP, the Chair of the Committee, will open the debate.

The first report of the Petitions Committee, Online abuse and the experience of disabled people, HC 759, is relevant to this debate. 

Petitions with over 10,000 signatures which have received a government response

• Make online homophobia a specific criminal offence

The Committee agreed to request a clearer response from the Government, which addresses the petitioner's specific request.

• All teaching staff across schools in England to have SEND mandatory training

The Committee noted the Government's response.

• End the animal cruelty laws exemptions given to UK halal and shechita abattoirs

The Committee noted the Government's response.

• Make it compulsory for schools to teach basic signing, such as Makaton

The Committee noted the Government's response.

• Hold a public inquiry into the decision to incentivise diesel cars & its effects

The Committee noted the Government's response.

• Stop MLA's Salary until Stormont has a sitting Assembly

The Committee noted the Government's response.

• Fund research and treatment for children with brain injuries

The Committee noted the Government's response.

Public (paper) petitions with government responses

The following public (paper) petitions received a written response from the Government and were noted by the Committee.

• Roadside littering from vehicles (presented by John McNally MP)
• The future of maintained nursery schools (presented by Lucy Powell MP)

Image: Parliamentary copyright