THE new convener of Holyrood's petitions committee is to review its working practices following claims it has been ignoring hundreds of issues raised by the public.

Labour MSP Michael McMahon said the committee had changed since it was set up in 1999 as a Holyrood's "democratic doorway," allowing the public to influence government policy.

He vowed to review the system to ensure it remained accessible and transparent for people demanding action on a range of issues.

The Herald revealed figures last month showing hundreds of petition proposals were thrown out by officials as unsuitable before they were even seen by MSPs on the committee.

Barely a quarter of the requests for action submitted to parliament were considered by the committee.

The figures showed 649 petition proposals were submitted between 2011/12 and 2014/15 but only 170 were presented to MSPs.

The equivalent committee in the Welsh Assembly considered twice as many petitions over the same period.

Mr McMahon, the MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, said: "The petitions committee should be a committee of the people.

"It will not always satisfy the requests that are made of it.

"But in may experience the very fact that people get the opportunity to raise their concerns directly is a good example of the democratic process that parliament delivers."

Mr McMahon was appointed petitions convener in Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale's reshuffle of her party's committee posts.

He previously held the position between 2003 and 2007.

During that time, the work of the committee was recognised in The Herald Scottish Politician of the Year Awards.

Mr McMahon said the number of petitions considered by the committee had fallen in recent years.

Between 1999 and 2007, more than a 1000 were put before MSPs. Since then, the committee has looked into about 600.

Mr MacMahon said: "It does look as if something has changed.

"I'll be looking to see if there has been a radical transformation of the system that is creating this.

"I'm not starting from the position there is something wrong but I do want to find out what has changed."

He added: "I don't believe the clerks are coming between the public and the committee.

"There were always some petitions that did not meet the criteria.

"Often is was down to the wording and the clerks would always try to work with petitioners to come up with an alternative form of words to make it permissible."

Under Holyrood rules, a petition must call on the parliament to take specific action on a national issue that is within its powers to address.

He said he would consider returning to a system in which petition proposals could only be ruled inadmissible after a public vote by MSPs on the committee.

The next meeting of the petitions committee will be held in a pub in Inverary on Monday.

Mr McMahon, moved from chairing the parliament's welfare reform committee to head the petitions committee.

He replaced Motherwell and Wishaw MSP John Pentland, who had defended the system against claims it was turning away too many pleas for help.

He dismissed concerns raised by fellow committee members John Wilson, an Independent MSP, and Hanzala Malik, one of his Labour colleagues, who said wanted more information about rejected petitions.

Petitions currently under consideration include a call for murderers to serve "whole of life" sentences and a request for measures to improve the welfare of pet rabbits.