Chamber and committees

rose—

Sorry—I was actually seeking to make an intervention on Meghan Gallacher, if she will allow that at this stage.

I commend Meghan Gallacher for pursuing this issue, about which there is cross-party consensus. Does she agree that the bill process has established that a statutory aggravation is key to legislative success and that, given that that is not possible to achieve in the bill before us, or by another means in the remainder of this session, all parties across the Parliament should commit to legislating at the earliest opportunity for such a statutory aggravation in the next parliamentary session?

rose—

Sorry—I was actually seeking to make an intervention on Meghan Gallacher, if she will allow that at this stage.

I commend Meghan Gallacher for pursuing this issue, about which there is cross-party consensus. Does she agree that the bill process has established that a statutory aggravation is key to legislative success and that, given that that is not possible to achieve in the bill before us, or by another means in the remainder of this session, all parties across the Parliament should commit to legislating at the earliest opportunity for such a statutory aggravation in the next parliamentary session?

::I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak today about the potential for building links with Bhutan. I congratulate Michelle Thomson on securing the debate, and I listened closely to the positive contributions from Kenneth Gibson, Pam Gosal and Claire Baker. It is always a delight when there is cross-party consensus on this Parliament—and, by extension, this Government—having good and ambitious external relations.

I will take a moment to recognise the importance of Bhutan as the world’s only carbon-negative country, as well as its ranking as one of the top 20 least corrupt nations in the world. As we have heard in the course of the debate, Bhutan is also distinguished by its vibrant Buddhist heritage, which shapes not only its cultural life but its values, governance and sense of collective purpose.

That spiritual foundation has helped to foster a society that places deep importance on compassion, balance and community wellbeing. Perhaps most notably, Bhutan has offered the world a distinctive lens through which to measure progress, through its pioneering use of the gross national happiness index. By placing wellbeing, sustainability and social cohesion alongside economic indicators, Bhutan has challenged global assumptions about what truly constitutes national success. That approach continues to resonate far beyond its borders and provides strong lessons that Scotland can learn from.

Even though Bhutan’s political and institutional development is very different from that of Scotland, it is important to acknowledge that difference with respect, and there are also areas of shared practice and mutual learning that can benefit both nations.

There are clear opportunities to further develop the relationship between Scotland and Bhutan, and I take inspiration from the K5 Himalayan whisky, which was created to commemorate the coronation of the fifth King of Bhutan. This whisky features a blend of eight and 12-year-old Scottish malts with Bhutanese grain spirits and Himalayan spring water. If K5 whisky can successfully blend Scottish malts and Bhutanese spirits into a balanced whole, it suggests that our two nations, working in the right spirit, can also combine our strengths to tackle the challenges of climate change.

Academic and cultural exchange must remain central to all relationships that Scotland forges. Scotland has much to gain from reflecting on Bhutan’s experience by considering how broader measures of wellbeing might inform our own policy discussions. Equally, the development of strong cultural links allows both countries to celebrate difference, build understanding and enrich our respective societies.

I commend the outstanding work undertaken by the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, whose long-standing partnership in documenting and conserving Bhutan’s rich plant diversity has made an important contribution to global biodiversity conservation. This collaboration exemplifies how scientific co-operation can strengthen international relationships while delivering tangible environmental benefits.

Finally, I recognise the vital role of the Loden Foundation, whose commitment to promoting education, nurturing social entrepreneurship and preserving Bhutan’s cultures and traditions continues to make a profound impact. Its work demonstrates how investment in people, values and heritage can support long-term national resilience and international partnerships.

Taken together, these themes point towards a relationship rooted not only in diplomacy but in shared values, respect for nature, commitment to integrity, belief in the wellbeing of future generations and, of course, a shared love of whisky.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak today about the potential for building links with Bhutan. I congratulate Michelle Thomson on securing the debate, and I listened closely to the positive contributions from Kenneth Gibson, Pam Gosal and Claire Baker. It is always a delight when there is cross-party consensus on this Parliament—and, by extension, this Government—having good and ambitious external relations.

I will take a moment to recognise the importance of Bhutan as the world’s only carbon-negative country, as well as its ranking as one of the top 20 least corrupt nations in the world. As we have heard in the course of the debate, Bhutan is also distinguished by its vibrant Buddhist heritage, which shapes not only its cultural life but its values, governance and sense of collective purpose.

That spiritual foundation has helped to foster a society that places deep importance on compassion, balance and community wellbeing. Perhaps most notably, Bhutan has offered the world a distinctive lens through which to measure progress, through its pioneering use of the gross national happiness index. By placing wellbeing, sustainability and social cohesion alongside economic indicators, Bhutan has challenged global assumptions about what truly constitutes national success. That approach continues to resonate far beyond its borders and provides strong lessons that Scotland can learn from.

Even though Bhutan’s political and institutional development is very different from that of Scotland, it is important to acknowledge that difference with respect, and there are also areas of shared practice and mutual learning that can benefit both nations.

There are clear opportunities to further develop the relationship between Scotland and Bhutan, and I take inspiration from the K5 Himalayan whisky, which was created to commemorate the coronation of the fifth King of Bhutan. This whisky features a blend of eight and 12-year-old Scottish malts with Bhutanese grain spirits and Himalayan spring water. If K5 whisky can successfully blend Scottish malts and Bhutanese spirits into a balanced whole, it suggests that our two nations, working in the right spirit, can also combine our strengths to tackle the challenges of climate change.

Academic and cultural exchange must remain central to all relationships that Scotland forges. Scotland has much to gain from reflecting on Bhutan’s experience by considering how broader measures of wellbeing might inform our own policy discussions. Equally, the development of strong cultural links allows both countries to celebrate difference, build understanding and enrich our respective societies.

I commend the outstanding work undertaken by the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, whose long-standing partnership in documenting and conserving Bhutan’s rich plant diversity has made an important contribution to global biodiversity conservation. This collaboration exemplifies how scientific co-operation can strengthen international relationships while delivering tangible environmental benefits.

Finally, I recognise the vital role of the Loden Foundation, whose commitment to promoting education, nurturing social entrepreneurship and preserving Bhutan’s cultures and traditions continues to make a profound impact. Its work demonstrates how investment in people, values and heritage can support long-term national resilience and international partnerships.

Taken together, these themes point towards a relationship rooted not only in diplomacy but in shared values, respect for nature, commitment to integrity, belief in the wellbeing of future generations and, of course, a shared love of whisky.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak today about the potential for building links with Bhutan. I congratulate Michelle Thomson on securing the debate, and I listened closely to the positive contributions from Kenneth Gibson, Pam Gosal and Claire Baker. It is always a delight when there is cross-party consensus on this Parliament—and, by extension, this Government—having good and ambitious external relations.

I will take a moment to recognise the importance of Bhutan as the world’s only carbon-negative country, as well as its ranking as one of the top 20 least corrupt nations in the world. As we have heard in the course of the debate, Bhutan is also distinguished by its vibrant Buddhist heritage, which shapes not only its cultural life but its values, governance and sense of collective purpose.

That spiritual foundation has helped to foster a society that places deep importance on compassion, balance and community wellbeing. Perhaps most notably, Bhutan has offered the world a distinctive lens through which to measure progress, through its pioneering use of the gross national happiness index. By placing wellbeing, sustainability and social cohesion alongside economic indicators, Bhutan has challenged global assumptions about what truly constitutes national success. That approach continues to resonate far beyond its borders and provides strong lessons that Scotland can learn from.

Even though Bhutan’s political and institutional development is very different from that of Scotland, it is important to acknowledge that difference with respect, and there are also areas of shared practice and mutual learning that can benefit both nations.

There are clear opportunities to further develop the relationship between Scotland and Bhutan, and I take inspiration from the K5 Himalayan whisky, which was created to commemorate the coronation of the fifth King of Bhutan. This whisky features a blend of eight and 12-year-old Scottish malts with Bhutanese grain spirits and Himalayan spring water. If K5 whisky can successfully blend Scottish malts and Bhutanese spirits into a balanced whole, it suggests that our two nations, working in the right spirit, can also combine our strengths to tackle the challenges of climate change.

Academic and cultural exchange must remain central to all relationships that Scotland forges. Scotland has much to gain from reflecting on Bhutan’s experience by considering how broader measures of wellbeing might inform our own policy discussions. Equally, the development of strong cultural links allows both countries to celebrate difference, build understanding and enrich our respective societies.

I commend the outstanding work undertaken by the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, whose long-standing partnership in documenting and conserving Bhutan’s rich plant diversity has made an important contribution to global biodiversity conservation. This collaboration exemplifies how scientific co-operation can strengthen international relationships while delivering tangible environmental benefits.

Finally, I recognise the vital role of the Loden Foundation, whose commitment to promoting education, nurturing social entrepreneurship and preserving Bhutan’s cultures and traditions continues to make a profound impact. Its work demonstrates how investment in people, values and heritage can support long-term national resilience and international partnerships.

Taken together, these themes point towards a relationship rooted not only in diplomacy but in shared values, respect for nature, commitment to integrity, belief in the wellbeing of future generations and, of course, a shared love of whisky.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak today about the potential for building links with Bhutan. I congratulate Michelle Thomson on securing the debate, and I listened closely to the positive contributions from Kenneth Gibson, Pam Gosal and Claire Baker. It is always a delight when there is cross-party consensus on this Parliament—and, by extension, this Government—having good and ambitious external relations.

I will take a moment to recognise the importance of Bhutan as the world’s only carbon-negative country, as well as its ranking as one of the top 20 least corrupt nations in the world. As we have heard in the course of the debate, Bhutan is also distinguished by its vibrant Buddhist heritage, which shapes not only its cultural life but its values, governance and sense of collective purpose.

That spiritual foundation has helped to foster a society that places deep importance on compassion, balance and community wellbeing. Perhaps most notably, Bhutan has offered the world a distinctive lens through which to measure progress, through its pioneering use of the gross national happiness index. By placing wellbeing, sustainability and social cohesion alongside economic indicators, Bhutan has challenged global assumptions about what truly constitutes national success. That approach continues to resonate far beyond its borders and provides strong lessons that Scotland can learn from.

Even though Bhutan’s political and institutional development is very different from that of Scotland, it is important to acknowledge that difference with respect, and there are also areas of shared practice and mutual learning that can benefit both nations.

There are clear opportunities to further develop the relationship between Scotland and Bhutan, and I take inspiration from the K5 Himalayan whisky, which was created to commemorate the coronation of the fifth King of Bhutan. This whisky features a blend of eight and 12-year-old Scottish malts with Bhutanese grain spirits and Himalayan spring water. If K5 whisky can successfully blend Scottish malts and Bhutanese spirits into a balanced whole, it suggests that our two nations, working in the right spirit, can also combine our strengths to tackle the challenges of climate change.

Academic and cultural exchange must remain central to all relationships that Scotland forges. Scotland has much to gain from reflecting on Bhutan’s experience by considering how broader measures of wellbeing might inform our own policy discussions. Equally, the development of strong cultural links allows both countries to celebrate difference, build understanding and enrich our respective societies.

I commend the outstanding work undertaken by the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, whose long-standing partnership in documenting and conserving Bhutan’s rich plant diversity has made an important contribution to global biodiversity conservation. This collaboration exemplifies how scientific co-operation can strengthen international relationships while delivering tangible environmental benefits.

Finally, I recognise the vital role of the Loden Foundation, whose commitment to promoting education, nurturing social entrepreneurship and preserving Bhutan’s cultures and traditions continues to make a profound impact. Its work demonstrates how investment in people, values and heritage can support long-term national resilience and international partnerships.

Taken together, these themes point towards a relationship rooted not only in diplomacy but in shared values, respect for nature, commitment to integrity, belief in the wellbeing of future generations and, of course, a shared love of whisky.

That is, no doubt, the view of the former chairman of the board—

Indeed.