Chamber and committees

That the Parliament welcomes the 50th anniversary of St Cadoc's Primary School and Nursery in Newton Mearns; recognises that, to mark this milestone occasion, there was a Golden Jubilee Mass at the St Cadoc's Parish on 19 January 2026; acknowledges that, alongside the mass, a special open evening is to take place on 28 January; notes that there will be a display at the event to celebrate the 50th anniversary and that members of the St Cadoc's community have been invited to contribute photos, memorabilia and stories from any of the school and nursery's previous five decades; understands that St Cadoc's delivers very high standards of education for pupils and that this was highlighted by a positive Education Scotland inspection report in October 2024; acknowledges that St Cadoc's is firmly embedded as an integral part of the Newton Mearns locality, and wishes the school community every success with the celebration event at the end of January.

That the Parliament congratulates Calderwood Lodge Primary School, which is in Newton Mearns, on receiving what it believes to be an exemplary report from Education Scotland; acknowledges that, during a visit by a team of inspectors in October 2025, it was established that pupils are articulate, motivated, kind and proud of their school community, with the children making strong progress in the core skills of literacy and numeracy; recognises that Education Scotland identified a welcoming, nurturing, caring and highly inclusive ethos, which is underpinned by positive relationships across the school community and effective communications between staff and parents to embed the Jewish faith in the work of Calderwood Lodge as a core strength; further recognises that the Education Scotland inspection also identified a staff team with strong working relationships and a highly effective headteacher who discharges their duties with honesty, sensitivity and high ambitions for every pupil as strengths; notes that, based on the inspection, Education Scotland graded Calderwood Lodge as "very good" on the four quality indicators of leadership of change, learning, teaching and assessment, ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion and raising attainment and achievement; further notes that Calderwood Lodge is one half of the first Jewish-Catholic joint schools campus to be established anywhere in the world, alongside St Clare's Primary and that it opened in August 2017; commends pupils, staff and parents at Calderwood Lodge for achieving what it views as an outstanding inspection report from Education Scotland, and looks forward to the school community building in future on the very positive set of results.

That the Parliament welcomes new independent academic research from the University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute, which calculates that Scottish football contributes £820 million in gross value added to Scotland's economy and supports 14,315 full-time equivalent jobs; notes that the research, which was commissioned by the SPFL, SWPL and the SFA, highlights the combined economic impact of professional men’s and women’s club football, international matches and supporter-related spending during the 2023–24 season; recognises that the Scottish football sector accounts for around 20% of the direct sports and recreation sector’s gross value added in Scotland, with attendances exceeding 6.8 million across professional matches involving Scottish teams; acknowledges what it sees as the vital role played by football clubs and their supporters in sustaining their local economies, supporting employment and driving community regeneration across Scotland; welcomes the report’s recognition of the growing contribution of the women’s game, reflecting increased participation, attendances and investment, and commends the work of the football authorities, clubs, supporters and volunteers for their ongoing contribution, not only to Scotland’s sporting success, but also to its wider economic and social wellbeing.

That the Parliament recognises Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week, which runs from 9 to 15 February 2026; notes that the theme for 2026 will be, This is My Place; acknowledges that a child’s sense of belonging can have a powerful and long-lasting impact on their physical and mental health, education, employment and relationships; notes that belonging is related to several issues increasingly faced by schools, including poor mental health, emotionally-based absence, declining good behaviour in the classroom and, ultimately, attainment; understands that, with half of all mental health issues reportedly arising before the age of 14, childhood is a chance to act, and calls therefore on the Scottish Government to support positive mental health and wellbeing in primary schools, to ensure that children get help early so they can thrive through childhood and into adulthood.

That the Parliament congratulates Cora Courtney, who is a nine-year-old ballet dancer from Clydebank, on qualifying for the prestigious ADC IBC Youth International Ballet Competition in the United States, following her success at the semi-finals in Berlin; commends her dedication to training at elite programmes across England since 2022 and balancing rigorous practice with academic life; recognises the support of her family; notes that a fundraising campaign has been launched to help cover Cora's travel, accommodation and entry costs, reflecting strong community spirit and highlighting Clydebank’s capacity to rally behind its young talent, and wishes her the very best of success for all future competitions.

That the Parliament congratulates the Lanarkshire specialists that have been announced as finalists in the fifth Scottish Makeup Awards 2026; notes that the winners will be revealed at an elegant ceremony on 8 February 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Glasgow; recognises that the Scottish Makeup Awards celebrate the masters of their craft who create stunning looks, offer top-class services and treatments and continually enhance their clients’ confidence through the use of innovative products and techniques; acknowledges that the awards showcase excellence in what it believes is Scotland’s thriving and growing makeup industry; congratulates Pamper and Polish in Wishaw on being shortlisted in the Bridal Make Up Specialists of the Year category and Alchemé Beauty in Motherwell on being shortlisted for People’s Choice of the Year; commends the dedication, talent and professionalism shown by all finalists, and wishes each of them the very best at the 2026 awards ceremony and continued success in their businesses.

That the Parliament recognises and celebrates the 80th anniversary of the twinning link between Burntisland and Flekkefjord, Norway; understands that the twinning began in February 1946, and is believed to be one of the oldest town twinning links in the world; notes that it aims to develop and maintain friendships and cultural links between the two communities; recognises that Burntisland and Flekkefjord have much in common, including their rich maritime history, industry and tourism; believes that the Burntisland and Flekkefjord Twinning Committee is hosting an exchange programme of events in Burntisland in summer 2026 to celebrate this special anniversary; acknowledges that the most recent annual exchange, in August 2025, took place in Flekkefjord, where a delegation from Burntisland was treated to many great experiences; recognises the hard work of the committee in organising and years of planning and fundraising; expresses its gratitude to supporters, including Tom Courts Butchers, the Sands Hotel, Talented Witches, Fife Council, the Scottish Norwegian Society and the Norwegian Scottish Association; extends its very best wishes for the success of the celebrations and events, and hopes that everyone enjoys them immensely.

That the Parliament congratulates Hollie Davidson, who is from Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, and is set to become the first woman to referee a men’s Six Nations rugby match when she oversees Ireland v Italy on 14 February 2026; recognises her outstanding referee career, including becoming Scottish Rugby’s first full-time female referee, officiating a New Zealand Test, refereeing at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and being inducted in Scottish Rugby’s Hall of Fame; notes her role in major fixtures such as the 2025 European Challenge Cup final; acknowledges that Hollie will continue her involvement in the 2026 Championship as an assistant referee for the last game of the tournament, which is the France v England match in Paris on 14 March; commends Hollie for her achievements so far, and wishes her a successful career.

That the Parliament welcomes the launch of All In, the national call to action for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games; recognises that Glasgow 2026 is considered Scotland’s Games, inviting participation from communities across the country and delivering benefits that it believes will be felt well beyond the city of Glasgow, including across the West Scotland region; commends the aim of All In to be inclusive, accessible and locally led, empowering communities, schools, sport and voluntary organisations and businesses to create their own activities, events and celebrations to build excitement ahead of the Games; notes that the All In programme will provide participating organisations with practical resources to promote local activities in the lead up to the Games; recognises the intention to support community-led events and celebrations across Scotland; considers that this approach can contribute to improved wellbeing and physical activity, strengthened local pride and cohesion and increased local economic activity, and encourages communities, schools, sport and voluntary organisations, businesses and local authorities to engage with Glasgow 2026's All In initiative and register their interest, so that communities in every part of the country can play their part in Scotland’s Games.

That the Parliament congratulates Monster Fish and Chips Co in Fort Augustus and The Trawler in Golspie on being ranked in the top 50 fish and chip takeaways for 2026 as part of the annual Fry Awards; understands that the rankings were announced by the Fry Magazine, which is the leading trade communication outlet for the fish and chip industry in the UK, and that it independently mystery dines each entry; notes that entries had to exceed a pass mark of 97% to be considered, and wishes Monster Fish and Chips Co and The Trawler an excellent trading year.