Current Petitions

Petition PE589 is from George McAuley on behalf of the UK Men's Movement and is on the issue of parental alienation syndrome. Members will recall that, when we considered the petition, we agreed to determine whether the European Court of Human Rights had indeed ruled that failure to recognise parental alienation syndrome and to provide appropriate training to the relevant bodies in relation to the condition constituted a contravention of article 8 of the European convention on human rights. The Scottish Parliament information centre was asked to provide a briefing on the issue, which has now been received. It appears from the briefing that case law in the European Court of Human Rights does not suggest that a member state would be in violation of rights under the convention if it failed to ensure that child care authorities and courts under its direction and control were made aware of PAS and provided with suitable training. Furthermore, the committee has considered and agreed to take no further action on four other petitions that relate to various issues surrounding PAS. It has accepted the Executive's view that PAS is not a sufficiently well-defined medical term to make its diagnosis certain or appropriate in legislation.The committee has also noted that the Executive is confident that the judiciary is well aware and takes account of behavioural issues that may be attributed to PAS in reaching decisions involving children and that all staff in the appropriate agencies receive adequate training in such issues. It is suggested that we should agree to take no further action on the basis of the responses that we have received. Are members agreed?Members indicated agreement.