MSPs to hear calls to ban use of mosquito devices
Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament say the devices violate the rights of children and young people.
Mosquito devices which emit a sound only young people can hear should be banned in Scotland, according to members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs).
The devices are used in order to deter anti-social behaviour and have been deployed in a range of locations, including some train stations.
However, MSYPs say the devices violate the rights of children and young people.
A petition calling for a ban was published in January, with 725 young people asked for their experience of the devices.
The majority of the respondents (85%) reported having never encountered a mosquito device.
Of the 105 respondents who had encountered a device (15%), the majority had seen or heard one multiple times (83%).
A total of 41% of respondents said they had experienced health effects or discomfort from the devices.
The Public Petitions Committee will hold an evidence session on Thursday with Kit McCarthy MSYP on the issue.
A petition was previously launched in 2010, although the Scottish Government said there was “little indication that there is a widespread problem through use of the device and there do not appear to be any identified long-term health risks”.
Ministers also said it would be difficult to justify a legislative solution.
