Chamber and committees

That the Parliament expresses deep and urgent concern over the catastrophic wildfires currently devastating the Cairngorms National Park, which, it believes, represent an unprecedented threat to public safety, critical infrastructure, and Scotland’s natural heritage; recognises that the scale of the destruction has stretched local emergency services, endangered rural communities, and caused irreversible damage to globally significant habitats, including ancient Caledonian pine forests and peatlands; believes that this crisis may meet the criteria for an escalated response due to its severe impact on human welfare, air quality, and the environment; calls on the Scottish Government to urgently direct reassessment of the situation to determine if the impact now meets the formal threshold of a major incident, and further calls on Ministers, should this threshold be met, to immediately unlock and mobilise further strategic resources, including invoking emergency resilience frameworks, securing mutual aid from the wider UK, and establishing an emergency recovery fund to support affected residents, land managers, and emergency services.

That the Parliament congratulates the cast and crew of The Doric Kitchen on the release of their new programme, which is already trending on Amazon Prime Video; recognises that this is the first television production made entirely in the North East of Scotland, by people from the North East, featuring produce from the region and incorporating the Doric language; commends everyone involved for their vision, creativity and commitment in producing a programme that proudly reflects the culture, talent and identity of the North East; acknowledges the significance of this achievement in showcasing the region and its people to an international audience, and wishes The Doric Kitchen every success.

That the Parliament congratulates Mandy Hunter on 30 years of service to Linton Lane Centre and the people of Kirkcaldy; believes that Mandy has been at the heart of the community, through leadership and friendship at Linton Lane Centre as the development manager and chief executive officer (CEO) in Kirkcaldy, Fife, starting in 1996 from centre supervisor to leading the charity's operations, outreach programs, and facility management; commends Mandy’s commitment, dedication, significant contributions and positive impacts in her time at Linton Lane; believes that reaching 30 years valuable service is a remarkable achievement and is testament to the unwavering support, kindness, professionalism, and passion that Mandy has selflessly provided to so many lives within the community; expresses its immense gratitude for all the years’ service and extends its very best wishes for continued success in the future, and hopes that everyone at Linton Lane very much enjoys the celebrations to mark this wonderful achievement.

That the Parliament recognises that 25 July is World Drowning Prevention Day, which was declared by the UN General Assembly in 2021 to raise awareness of the impact of drowning on communities and highlight measures to prevent water-related fatalities; welcomes the theme of World Drowning Prevention Day 2026, Unite to Turn the Tide on Drowning; understands that there are on average 96 water-related fatalities in Scotland each year, including around 50 accidental deaths; recognises that Scotland’s extensive coastline of approximately 6,000 miles and its many inland waters make swimming ability and water safety knowledge particularly important; commends the work of Water Safety Scotland, Scottish Swimming and other partners in promoting water safety education and drowning prevention initiatives; acknowledges what it sees as the importance of teaching swimming, water safety and safe rescue skills training people in rescue and resuscitation techniques, improving flood risk management, enforcing safe boating regulations and installing appropriate barriers to control access to water where necessary, and encourages continued efforts to improve water safety awareness and reduce preventable drowning incidents in Scotland and around the world.

That the Parliament congratulates the Cullen Bowling and Tennis Club on reaching the remarkable milestone of its 125th anniversary; recognises the club’s long and distinguished history at the heart of the local community and commends the generations of members, volunteers and committee members whose dedication and hard work have ensured the club’s continued success; acknowledges the important role the club has played in promoting participation in bowling and tennis in fostering community spirit; further acknowledges the significant contribution that local sports clubs make to communities throughout Moray and Scotland, and wishes everyone associated with Cullen Bowling and Tennis Club every success as they celebrate this special anniversary and look forward to many more years of sporting and community achievement.

That the Parliament acknowledges with sadness the death of the former Clydebank forward, Mike Larnach; notes that during his time at the club, he scored 105 goals in 334 appearances across two spells; further notes that Mike was part of a prolific front three, which also consisted of Davie Cooper and Joe McCallan, and helped the club achieve back-to-back promotions to the Scottish Premier Division in 1977; understands that Mike was one of the first players inducted into the Bankies' Hall of Fame and remained an ever-present figure at Clydebank's Holm Park where, after the 2025-26 season, he recently unfurled the league flag, and passes on its condolences to everyone at the club and to Mike’s family and friends.

That the Parliament congratulates Craig Burton of Orbiston Bowling Club on winning the Lanarkshire Bowling Association Champion of Champions title on 21 June 2026 at Houldsworth Bowling Club; recognises that this is a significant sporting achievement and notes that he is the first player in Orbiston Bowling Club’s history to win this prestigious title; commends his hard work, dedication and commitment to the sport of bowls, demonstrated throughout the competition; acknowledges the pride that this achievement has brought to Orbiston Bowling Club and the wider local community; further recognises the contribution of bowling clubs in fostering sporting excellence, community spirit and social connection across Scotland, and wishes him continued success in his future sporting endeavours.

That the Parliament congratulates Bowls Midlothian on receiving a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund worth £6,100; notes that this funding will be used to support its new Bowls Midlothian Youth Academy ensuring a pathway for the next generation of players; further notes that the youth sessions gives new players an opportunity to improve their skills and meet new friends while trying out a new sport; commends the work of everyone at Bowls Midlothian, including the volunteer coaches and young people involved in the Bowls Midlothian Youth Academy, and wishes them the best for the future.

That the Parliament congratulates Silverburn Shopping Centre in Glasgow on its significant contribution to Scotland’s economy, as highlighted in an independent socio-economic impact report produced by EY; notes that the report found that Silverburn generated an estimated £414 million of economic activity across Scotland in 2025 and supports 8,713 jobs, underlining its role as a major regional employer and economic driver; further notes that, according to the report, every £1 spent directly at Silverburn generates an estimated further £5.70 of economic activity across the wider Scottish economy through indirect and induced effects; recognises what it sees as the important role that successful retail destinations play in supporting local businesses, creating employment opportunities, attracting investment and strengthening communities across Glasgow and the west of Scotland; welcomes the continued investment by Henderson Park and Eurofund Group in enhancing the centre, including initiatives that have reduced energy consumption by 44%, maintained zero waste to landfill since 2018, and delivered further environmental improvements such as the installation of solar panels and wastewater management systems; acknowledges what it sees as the importance of developing vibrant, sustainable retail destinations that promote economic growth while reducing environmental impact, and wishes everyone involved at Silverburn Shopping Centre continued success in contributing to the prosperity of Glasgow and Scotland.

That the Parliament congratulates Caledonia Housing Association on marking its 15th anniversary; recognises its significant contribution to providing affordable, high-quality housing and community support across Scotland, including in West Dunbartonshire; notes that Caledonia provides homes and services to more than 5,700 households and a factoring service to over 2,300 homeowners; acknowledges the Association’s commitment to supporting communities through welfare advice, energy efficiency programmes, community partnerships and targeted assistance for vulnerable households; notes its recent success at the Scottish Home Awards, where it was named Housing Association of the Year and Housing Regeneration Development of the Year for its Bellsmyre Regeneration programme; recognises what it sees as the importance of the ongoing Bellsmyre and Dalquhurn regeneration projects in Dumbarton constituency; commends the work of the association’s staff, tenants, partners and volunteers in helping to create stronger, healthier and more sustainable communities, and wishes Caledonia Housing Association every success for the future.