Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01514 · Session 4

Making Time for Reflection representative of all beliefs

Closed Submitted 14 Feb 2014 People & Communities
Signatures
0
32 online signatures with a country
Comments
0
Considered
2 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to ensure that each year its weekly Time for Reflection fulfuls its ambition of being representative of the diversity of religion and belief in Scotland by limiting representatives of religious denominations to one half of the presentations and ensuring that twenty five per cent of all sessions are presented by atheists.

What the petitioner did first

I have published research which demonstrates that Time for Reflection over-represents Christian denominations and other religious traditions and under-represents the 37 per cent of the population that has no religion according to the 2011 census as well as the 26 per cent of Scots who are atheists who 'do not believe in god or gods or any higher spiritual power'.
This research entitled 'Proportional Prayers: Time for Reflection in the Scottish Parliament' was published in the academic journal Parliamentary Affairs in 2013 and can be accessed via the link in the following blog; http://www.normanbonneypublications.blogspot.com
The findings of this research, and its relevance to the conduct of Time for Reflection, has been drawn to the attention of MSPs but no corrective action has heretofore been implemented.
2011 census results, and other recent social survey findings, indicate the need for changes in current practice by the Parliament since the pattern of contributions is so discrepant with the pattern of beliefs of the Scottish people.

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 6 May 2014
    1 mention
  2. 5 Aug 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention

Signatures by country

32 online signatures
  1. Scotland24 75%
  2. United Kingdom8 25%

Comments

No public comments.