Chamber and committees

That the Parliament wholeheartedly condemns what it sees as the repeated and enduring questioning and undermining of the authority and neutrality of the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament by members of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party group; believes that what it sees as  premeditated conduct brings individuals, their party and the entire Parliament into disrepute; notes calls for this conduct to be addressed through appropriate parliamentary processes and, where deemed appropriate, sanctions, and reiterates its unequivocal support for the Presiding Officer as she seeks to uphold the standards, order and running of parliamentary business in a modern democratic institution serving people across Scotland, including in the West Scotland region, in the face of what it sees as unsubstantiated and relentless accusations of conspiracy or bias.

That the Parliament condemns the use of derogatory and dehumanising language, including racial slurs, while recognising that the incident at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, in which a guest with Tourette syndrome involuntarily shouted offensive language, was the result of a symptom of a neurological condition; acknowledges that Tourette syndrome is characterised by motor and vocal tics, which, in some people, can include coprolalia, the spontaneous utterance of socially inappropriate words or phrases, and that these tics are not intentional expressions of belief or intent; expresses concern that mischaracterising such symptoms can stigmatise disabled people, particularly children and young people with Tourette syndrome, who already face anxiety, isolation and discrimination; emphasises that it is possible to be both anti-racist and disability-aware, promoting understanding of neurological differences while challenging racism, without treating these objectives as competing; calls for compassionate public discourse that discourages stigma and builds inclusive communities, and highlights the work of Tourette Scotland, which provides support, guidance, education and advocacy for families affected by Tourette syndrome across Scotland.

That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the integrated cancer support service across Forth Valley that is being delivered by Macmillan Cancer Support in partnership with NHS Forth Valley and Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership; recognises that the service combines clinical care with practical, emotional and financial support through the Improving the Cancer Journey approach; understands that around 100 people are diagnosed with cancer each day in Scotland and that many experience significant non-medical impacts following diagnosis; acknowledges the importance of early holistic needs assessment and personalised care planning in supporting wellbeing, independence and recovery, and calls on continued efforts to ensure that all people diagnosed with cancer across Scotland are able to access such holistic support alongside treatment, regardless of where they live.

That the Parliament congratulates the institution that is today known as Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, at the conclusion of the year marking its 150th anniversary; believes that from its 19th century beginnings to the present day, it has consistently delivered on widening access to education and building social and economic capital, as highlighted in a play, Head Heart Hand, that the university commissioned to mark this anniversary, and notes that the play was written by Stef Smith, an award-winning playwright and Queen Margaret alumna, and was performed at the Traverse Theatre in February 2026 by a student cast.

That the Parliament welcomes the announcement that Aberdeen International Airport has selected SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) as its official charity partner for the next two years; recognises that the partnership was chosen following a staff vote and reflects the airport’s commitment to supporting wellbeing across the north east; understands that SAMH is Scotland’s national mental health charity and has delivered vital support in Aberdeen for many years, including suicide prevention work and the provision of mental health link workers in GP practices; notes the charity’s development of The Nook, which is a free walk-in mental health and wellbeing hub opening this summer in Marischal Square; further notes that The Nook will offer non-clinical support without the need for appointments or referrals; understands that the Aberdeen Nook will be the second of a Scotland-wide network of hubs planned to open by 2028; acknowledges that previous charity partnerships at the airport have raised more than £260,000 through initiatives such as the Runway Run and Jet Set Spin, and welcomes this new collaboration between Aberdeen International Airport and SAMH, which aims to raise awareness, engage staff and passengers and support improved mental health across the region.

That the Parliament congratulates the Russell Anderson Foundation on receiving a donation of £12,000 from the Intervention and Coiled Tubing Association (ICoTA) Europe; notes that ICoTA  partnered with the foundation as its Charity of the Year in 2025, raising funds in a number of ways, including raffles at technical luncheons, dedicated charity events and member contributions; understands that these funds will be used to support the foundation’s in-school programmes, which provide structured physical activity, nutrition education and social development support to hundreds of young people in and around Aberdeen; thanks all at ICoTA Europe who organised fundraising and contributed their time or money over the course of the year, and wishes everyone at both ICoTA and the Russell Anderson Foundation all the very best with their endeavours.

That the Parliament calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, to announce the abolition of the Energy Profits Levy in her Spring Statement on 3 March 2026; notes that the levy, which was introduced by the Conservative UK administration in 2022, was subsequently increased by the current Labour UK administration in the Chancellor’s first Autumn Budget in 2024, and extended until 2030; further notes that the Chancellor did not take the opportunity to end the levy in the 2025 Autumn Budget, despite numerous calls for her to do so from energy industry leaders; believes that the levy is harming jobs in Aberdeen and the wider north east today as well as deterring investment in renewables projects that should be powering the transition to net zero, and hopes that the current UK Government will reconsider its views and change what it sees as its disastrous energy policies, before it is too late.

That the Parliament welcomes the news that Aberdeen Science Centre is expanding its virtual reality (VR) offering with a new workshop and birthday party experience; notes that the centre launched its VR experiences in 2025, allowing visitors to explore new digital worlds, encounter dinosaurs, travel through time and shrink in size to journey through the human body; understands that over 6,500 children and families across the north east of Scotland have been engaged with the centre’s ClassVR headsets at both the centre and at community events; further understands that the four new VR experiences being offered throughout the year will focus on exploring ocean life, journeying through different animals’ habitats, discovering more about famous historic moments and learning about geography and geology; believes that this is a fantastic way of engaging children in learning through the use of modern technology, and in particular in getting more children interested in STEM subjects, and hopes that these new VR experiences will be every bit as successful as the existing ones.

That the Parliament congratulates Callum Simpson, a 27-year-old farmer from Mains of Leslie, Insch, on being named Young Farmer of the Year at the Scottish Agriculture Awards; recognises his dedication in committing nine weeks, including over 80 hours in the final stage alone, to a competition requiring a wide range of practical agricultural skills and the development of a detailed three-year business plan; acknowledges Callum's commitment to his family farm since leaving school at 16, where he works with his parents managing suckler cows, breeding ewes and producing barley; celebrates his achievements in winning a new quad bike and a trip to the Oxford Farming Conference, and wishes him continued success as he works towards taking on the family farm.

That the Parliament congratulates Aberdeen City Council on being recognised among Scotland’s top performers in school catering at the Scottish School Food Awards; notes that the Scottish School Food Awards, which were hosted in Edinburgh on 22 February 2026, brought together local authorities, chefs and suppliers from across the country to celebrate excellence in school dining, recognising achievements in sustainability, nutrition and community impact; understands that Aberdeen City Council won the Community Benefits Award for its work with the Soil Association, with judges calling the entry inspiring, well thought through and innovative; believes that this award highlights the importance of giving children healthy, nutritious meals that aid their learning; hopes the catering teams in Aberdeen are rightly proud of having their work recognised in this way, and wishes them all the best with their continued endeavours.