Chamber and committees

As an amendment to motion S7M-01881 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Strengthening Scotland’s Bus Network), insert at end “; believes that, if the Scottish Government is going to deliver on its commitments, it must urgently update Parliament with a timeline of when the £2 bus cap will be rolled out nationwide, and calls on the Scottish Government to introduce an ambitious bill by Spring 2027 to reform the legislative framework for bus services and accelerate the franchising process.”

As an amendment to motion S7M-01881 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Strengthening Scotland’s Bus Network), leave out from first “welcomes” to end and insert “calls on the Scottish Government to introduce legislation that will speed up the process of franchising where it is wanted as well as assisting regional transport partnerships that want to introduce franchising; further calls on the Scottish Government to introduce a trial multi-modal smart ticketing scheme in order that it can be rolled out nationally by 2031, and urges the Scottish Government to set out how it sees bus service improvement partnerships progressing.”

As an amendment to motion S7M-01881 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Strengthening Scotland’s Bus Network), leave out from first “welcomes” to end and insert "believes in the importance of improving the availability, affordability and accessibility of bus services in Scotland; welcomes the opportunity to consider how this can be achieved through franchising and regulation; notes the Scottish Government’s commitment to introducing a £2 bus fare cap to all areas of Scotland; believes that any such measures should be carefully considered in order to recognise the existing provision and differing needs across Scotland, and that they must be part of a wider strategy for bus services that includes the delivery of integrated ticketing and continued network development; notes with concern that over 150 million fewer passenger journeys were made on local bus services in 2024-25 compared to the peak in 2007-08, the year in which the SNP entered government, and that annual local bus service vehicle kilometres have also fallen by over 100 million in the same period; recognises concerns regarding the sustainability of bus services in rural and remote areas and a lack of coherent integration of bus and rail services; believes that the reduction in the real-terms value of the Network Support Grant base rate has undermined the viability of bus services, particularly in rural and remote areas, and recognises the importance of community transport services in the delivery of public transport across Scotland and the challenges which the sector faces, including increased fuel and maintenance costs."

As an amendment to motion S7M-01881 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Strengthening Scotland’s Bus Network), insert at end "; regrets the reduction in bus services across Scotland, including in rural areas, over the past decade; believes that true public control through regional bus franchising must ensure that money raised through passenger fares is retained by the public sector and reinvested directly into the network rather than extracted as profit by private operators; further believes that public control will also enable integrated smart ticketing across Scottish public transport; calls on the Scottish Government to reform taxpayer-funded bus grant processes to give significantly greater weighting to meaningful social value criteria, including measurable commitments relating to domestic jobs, apprenticeships, skills and supply chain growth, and urges the Scottish Government to adopt institutional patient capital leasing models for zero-emission bus fleets, learning from the financing approach being deployed by Transport for London, to reduce upfront financial barriers for franchised or publicly-owned bus operators and secure a long-term order pipeline for Scotland's domestic bus manufacturing base.

As an amendment to motion S7M-01881 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Strengthening Scotland’s Bus Network), leave out from first “welcomes” to end and insert “recognises the vital role that reliable, affordable and accessible bus services play in connecting communities, supporting businesses and providing access to employment, education and healthcare; recognises the particular importance of bus services to rural and island communities, where they are often an essential lifeline; supports a bus network that encourages competition and innovation, delivers value for money and puts passengers' needs at its heart; recognises the need to ensure that public transport subsidies deliver value for money, and supports the introduction of a dedicated Rural and Small Towns Bus Fund to protect vital services that might otherwise be commercially unviable.”

That the Parliament congratulates 18-year-old Kilmarnock boxer Aaron Sarwar on being crowned U19 World Champion following his outstanding victory in the men's 50kg flyweight final in Budva, Montenegro; understands that Aaron secured the Gold medal after five hard-fought bouts, culminating in a split-decision victory over Russia's Vladimir Orlov; recognises that Aaron is only the second Scottish boxer to become an amateur world champion, representing an extraordinary achievement for both himself and Scottish boxing; commends Aaron for his dedication, determination and hard work; recognises that his remarkable achievement has brought immense pride to Kilmarnock and the wider Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency, while providing inspiration to aspiring young athletes across the area; pays tribute to the coaches, volunteers and everyone involved with Kilmarnock's Northwest Amateur Boxing Club for their commitment to nurturing young talent and providing a safe, supportive environment where young people can develop their skills, confidence, discipline and sense of belonging; believes that grassroots sports clubs play a vital role in strengthening communities, promoting physical and mental wellbeing and breaking down socio-economic barriers by creating opportunities for young people from all backgrounds to participate, develop and fulfil their potential; recognises the transformative power of sport in improving lives and creating opportunities, particularly in communities facing social and economic disadvantage, and wishes Aaron every success in his future boxing career.

That the Parliament congratulates Iain Meadows, station manager and breakfast presenter at Radio Wester Ross, on winning the Gold award for Presenter of the Year – Man at the 2026 Community Radio Awards; understands that the award followed a rigorous judging process recognising outstanding programming, community engagement, innovation and impact; notes Iain’s view that radio delivered at a local level is every bit as important as national and regional radio, particularly in telling the stories that matter to Wester Ross; commends the dedicated team at Radio Wester Ross for its hard work in giving the area a voice, and celebrates the vital role that community radio plays in connecting and informing rural and remote communities across the Highlands.

That the Parliament congratulates Falkirk Council Libraries on their continued success in delivering services to communities across the Falkirk district; notes that, in 2025-26, the service recorded 334,067 book issues and delivered 2,327 activities and events, attracting over 33,000 attendees; welcomes the success of the Bookbug programme, with 12,884 attendees, and the significant expansion of digital inclusion support; recognises the contribution of the award-winning Libraries for Wellbeing programme in supporting community health and wellbeing; acknowledges what it sees as the important role of public libraries in promoting literacy, lifelong learning, social inclusion and community engagement, and commends library staff and partners for their dedication to providing accessible, inclusive and innovative services to local communities.

That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the Cottage Family Centre’s 2026 Christmas appeal in Kirkcaldy, which aims to raise £60,000 in seven weeks to support more than 1,500 children and their families; understands that the appeal will provide families experiencing hardship with 10 days’ worth of food, including Christmas dinner, alongside support with utilities, toys, warm clothing and essential household items; recognises that this support helps families celebrate Christmas with dignity and ensures that children feel included and cared for; commends manager Pauline Buchan, the centre’s staff and its dedicated volunteers for their tireless efforts, building on almost 40 years of supporting families in Kirkcaldy; acknowledges the generosity of local residents, businesses and community organisations whose contributions make this work possible; encourages everyone who is able to consider supporting the appeal through financial contributions or donations of new toys, clothing, toiletries and non-perishable food, and wishes everyone involved every success in reaching the fundraising target and bringing comfort and festive joy to local families.

That the Parliament welcomes Crisis Scotland’s new report, Changing Course: delivering a preventative approach to ending homelessness through public service reform; notes the report's finding that rough sleeping rose by 20% last year, that record numbers of households are in temporary accommodation at a cost of over £160 million annually, and that acute healthcare use by people with experience of homelessness generates £900 million in demand; recognises the view that dealing with homelessness at the point of crisis is the wrong approach, with people moved between A&E, police custody and emergency accommodation while the root causes go unresolved; notes that the new Ask and Act duties in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 will place duties on public bodies to spot the risk early and act on it together; further notes the independent analysis by Alma Economics, which found that investing £100 million in the 2027-28 Budget, followed by £35 million to £38 million a year, could avoid between £76 million and £82 million in net costs to public services in the years after the duties commence; welcomes the Scottish Government’s extension of the homelessness prevention pilots, including in Wester Hailes, where, it understands, people are already being supported to keep their homes; notes the view of Crisis Scotland that a delivery plan across government is now needed so that every public body is ready when the duties come into force by November 2028, and pays tribute to the people with lived experience of homelessness for their contribution to shaping effective approaches to homelessness prevention.