Parliament Workbench
Data: Official Report to 12 Nov 2026

Official Report · Committee

Current Petitions

Sleep Apnoea (PE953)

Tuesday 8 September 2009 Public Petitions Committee Petitions 14 contributions · 4 speakers

Speakers

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The record

14 contributions
Frank McAveety Lab The Convener · Glasgow Shettleston
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Item 2 is consideration of current petitions, the first of which is PE953, from Ms Jean Gall, on behalf of the Scottish Association of Sleep Apnoea, which urges the Parliament to urge the Government to increase awareness of sleep apnoea, promote its proper diagnosis and treatment and provide sufficient resources, including adequately funded sleep centres, to tackle the health problems that are associated with the condition. I am aware that Christine Grahame has expressed an interest in this petition before. I invite her to make a contribution.

Christine Grahame SNP South of Scotland
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I do not have the paperwork for today's meeting, so I will listen to the committee members first, if you do not mind.

Frank McAveety Lab The Convener · Glasgow Shettleston
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We have been exploring issues to do with the managed clinical networks approach and so on with the Government health directorates, but we have reached an impasse in our ability to influence things any further. At the moment, we do not think that we can contribute much more. That is why I was inviting you to comment; I know that you like a battle.

Christine Grahame SNP South of Scotland
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Thank you for that lead-in. I am aware that I am sitting at the table with another member of the Health and Sport Committee. I suggest that you remit the petition to the Health and Sport Committee. I am most concerned that the petition has been batted about for a very long time, given that sleep apnoea is a serious condition with serious social impacts. I can tell by the number on the petition that it has been going for a long time, but nothing has been done. I am keen for something to be done. I see Bill Butler nodding, although I do not know whether he agrees with me. There might be spaces in the Health and Sport Committee's timetable to conduct a short inquiry, although that is a matter for the committee.

Frank McAveety Lab The Convener · Glasgow Shettleston
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We always welcome it when other committee conveners offer to lessen the workload of this committee. That is why you saw us all popping up like meerkats when you suggested remitting the petition to the Health and Sport Committee.

Christine Grahame SNP South of Scotland
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I have to say that we have not had many petitions remitted to us in this period.

Frank McAveety Lab The Convener · Glasgow Shettleston
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Now that you have said that, we would love to remit more to you.

Bill Butler Lab Glasgow Anniesland
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Given that the convener of the Health and Sport Committee has made such a compelling argument for our remitting the petition to her committee, it would be ill-mannered of us not to do so.

Frank McAveety Lab The Convener · Glasgow Shettleston
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Are there any other comments?

Jamie McGrigor Con Highlands and Islands
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Some of the hospitals in my area are looking into this condition much more seriously than they used to. They are producing machines that people can take away to test themselves, which is a very good thing. Sleep apnoea is one of those conditions of which people are becoming much more aware, so something should be done.

Frank McAveety Lab The Convener · Glasgow Shettleston
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We have been encouraged by your very receptive contribution, Christine. We are happy to try to work with the Health and Sport Committee. We will refer the information to you. Some progress has been made, but you might be able to do more to assist and to broaden out the support.

Christine Grahame SNP South of Scotland
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I was not stating that this committee had not made progress, but external agencies have not made the progress that we sought.

Frank McAveety Lab The Convener · Glasgow Shettleston
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It would be helpful for the Parliament to have the Health and Sport Committee deal with some aspects of the issue, because we are getting different responses from different health boards. Does the committee accept the recommendations?

Members indicated agreement.

In this meeting

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