Chamber and committees

That the Parliament congratulates the four young members of Anderson’s Banditos, Glen and Innes Anderson and Ailsa and Oliver Odie, on winning the 30th annual North Berwick Rotary charity golf day; understands that they competed against 19 other teams from across the Lothians and further afield to achieve the overall title at the Glen Golf Club; notes that the event raised £8,000 for good causes, including £6,000 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), with £2,000 to be distributed among other local charities; understands that the contribution to CHAS will support its work with babies, children, young people and their families, including fundraising towards the redevelopment and upgrading of Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch; notes that the Rotary Club of North Berwick has donated more than £47,000 to CHAS to date; recognises the efforts of the Rotary Club, the Glen Golf Club, the sponsor, Gilson Gray, players, organisers and everyone who supported the event; commends what it sees as the important role that events such as this can play in bringing generations together and supporting charitable causes, and congratulates the youngsters on their memorable achievement.

That the Parliament congratulates all involved in the replacement of the Markle Level Crossing, which is near East Linton, on winning the Rail Infrastructure Project category at the Scottish Civil Engineering Awards; understands that the project was managed by East Lothian Council, delivered by Balfour Beatty and fully funded by Transport Scotland, with partnership working involving Network Rail; notes that it involved the construction of a single-span bridge and a 1 km diversionary road at Markle Steading; welcomes that it replaces one of only two remaining level crossings on Scotland’s East Coast Main Line, improving safety for road users and the national rail network and removing delays caused by lowered crossing barriers; further welcomes the inclusion of a shared-use path for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrian users, sustainable drainage measures designed to reduce flood risk and landscaping intended to support biodiversity; notes that the project incorporated 70,000 tonnes of locally sourced materials; recognises the contribution of everyone involved in delivering it and the collaboration between East Lothian Council, Transport Scotland, Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, and congratulates the project team on receiving this recognition for engineering excellence and for delivering lasting benefits for the community.

That the Parliament congratulates Bombay Bar & Grill in Prestonpans on being named New Restaurant of the Year at the Scottish Asian Food Awards 2026; understands that this is the restaurant’s second national food award in the space of a few weeks, following its success in being named Best Newcomer at the Spice Awards 2026; recognises what it sees as the hard work and dedication of the restaurant’s kitchen, front-of-house and wider team in achieving this recognition; acknowledges the support that the restaurant has received from customers, friends and the community; believes that the success is another positive example of the quality and diversity of East Lothian’s hospitality sector, and wishes Michael Singh and the whole team at Bombay Bar & Grill continued success for the future.

That the Parliament congratulates Yester Farm Dairies, near Gifford in East Lothian, on winning the Farmers Weekly Diversification Farmer of the Year Award at a ceremony in London; understands that the family-run business, led by Simon and Jackie McCreery, has diversified from a bottled milk business to producing a range of products including cottage cheese, soft cheese, Greek-style yoghurt, crème fraîche and sour cream for major UK retailers; further understands that the farm processes milk from its own 350-cow herd as well as milk from four neighbouring farms, and that it has expanded into European markets, with its cheese available in Spanish supermarkets; recognises what it sees as the resilience and innovation shown by the business in adapting to changing markets and challenges, including Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic; understands that Yester Farm Dairies has ambitions to further increase production capacity and grow its presence in UK and European markets while maintaining the family farm at the heart of the business; commends the whole team at Yester Farm Dairies on securing what it considers to be this prestigious award, and wishes Simon, Jackie and everyone involved continued success for the future.

That the Parliament recognises the messages emerging from the 2026 United Nations General Assembly regarding the sovereignty and dignity of all peoples; condemns war, violence, greed, cruelty and the suffering inflicted on civilians in conflicts across the world; believes that peace, security and justice must remain the foundation of international relations; acknowledges the persistent inequalities experienced by many countries and communities that make up the Global Majority, including the particular challenges faced by Nepal and other developing nations; notes with concern the growing impact of climate change and recognises what it sees as the connection between environmental degradation, displacement, insecurity and conflict; affirms the importance of maintaining hope and confidence in humanity's capacity for cooperation, compassion and progress; supports calls for renewed trust in the United Nations, its Charter and the multilateral international system; reaffirms the need for respect for international law and the rules-based international order; believes that the welfare, opportunities and future prospects of children and young people must remain at the centre of global decision-making, and calls on governments, international institutions and civil society to work together to build a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable future for all.

That the Parliament notes that it is now more than one year since the UK formally recognised the State of Palestine, reaffirming support for a negotiated two-state solution and the Palestinian people's right to self-determination; further notes reported concerns that, despite this significant diplomatic milestone, the situation on the ground for many Palestinians has deteriorated rather than improved, with continuing reports of genocide, displacement and humanitarian suffering in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories; believes reports from the UN that the conditions for a viable and contiguous Palestinian state are being increasingly undermined, including through settlement expansion and ongoing violence; notes the recent address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the UN General Assembly, during which he strongly rejected international calls for Palestinian statehood; recognises what it sees as the growing international concern expressed by governments, humanitarian agencies and civil society organisations regarding the future prospects for peace and security in the region; notes with alarm the publication of new satellite imagery and assessments showing the extensive destruction across Gaza, which many observers argue highlights the immense scale of reconstruction and humanitarian assistance that will be required; believes that the images serve as a stark reminder of the human cost and the urgent need for a lasting political solution, and calls on all parties and the international community to work towards an immediate and sustainable peace, the protection of civilians, the upholding of international law and a just resolution that guarantees dignity, security and self-determination for both Palestinians and Israelis.

That the Parliament expresses its solidarity with all women and girls who have experienced sexual violence, abuse and harassment; notes the widespread public concern and distress generated by reports relating to the alleged gang rape case at Cornell University; recognises that discussion surrounding such cases can be deeply triggering for survivors and can serve as a painful reminder of the prevalence of violence against women and girls; believes that tackling gender-based violence is not solely a women's issue but a responsibility that rests with society as a whole; further believes that men, in particular, must do more to challenge misogyny, sexist attitudes and behaviours wherever they occur, including among friends, colleagues, family members and within institutions; understands that silence and inaction can contribute to a culture in which abuse is minimised or excused; considers that men and boys have a vital role to play in rejecting victim-blaming, challenging harmful narratives about consent, calling out abusive behaviour and supporting survivors; commends the work of organisations that support women affected by violence and abuse; reaffirms its commitment to the principles of equality, dignity and respect, and calls for continued action across education, public life and communities to eradicate violence against women and girls in all its forms.

That the Parliament welcomes the publication of Mental Health at the Fault Line, produced by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, which draws on the experience of psychiatrists working across Scotland’s secondary and specialist mental health services and sets out the lessons learned from over a decade of health and social care integration; notes the report’s findings that current arrangements have often resulted in fragmented decision-making, unclear accountability, reduced transparency in mental health funding, duplication of governance structures and insufficient clinical involvement in key decisions affecting mental health services; recognises the concern expressed in the report that mental health services have been disproportionately affected by organisational complexity and that the separation of responsibility, authority and resources can create risks for patient safety, service quality and workforce sustainability; notes the proposed principles for NHS reform set out in the report, including that accountability and authority should sit together, expert clinical input should be present wherever decisions are made, funding should be transparent and traceable, reform should reduce inequalities and support a sustainable workforce and governance should be designed around patient pathways; believes that the ongoing programme of NHS reform presents an important opportunity to address these longstanding concerns; agrees that mental health must be given genuine parity of esteem alongside physical health throughout the design, governance, planning, performance management and delivery of NHS reform; recognises that there can be no health without mental health, and calls on the Scottish Government to ensure that mental health has equal visibility, influence, priority and representation within all future NHS reform proposals and structures.

That the Parliament congratulates the Lammermuir Festival on the successful completion of its 2026 programme; recognises the festival's continuing contribution to Scotland's cultural life and its role in bringing world-class classical music performances to communities across East Lothian; highlights the praise received from audiences and critics alike, including recognition from BBC Radio 3, The Herald, The Times and Edinburgh Music Review; understands that the outstanding musicians, performers, artistic team and organisers delivered a programme of exceptional quality; acknowledges what it sees as the invaluable support provided by volunteers, Friends of the Festival, charitable trusts, foundations and sponsors whose generosity helps make the festival possible; believes that the festival enhances East Lothian's reputation as a destination for arts and culture while providing economic and community benefits across the region; welcomes the announcement of future concerts and the return of the festival from 5 to 19 September 2027, and wishes everyone involved continued success in the years ahead.

That the Parliament welcomes World Homelessness Day 2026, which is marked annually on 10 October, as an important opportunity to reflect on the impact of the housing emergency and to renew collective commitment to ending it; acknowledges that the latest statistics show a significant rise in rough sleeping, especially in Edinburgh where the number of people rough sleeping the night before presenting as homeless has risen by 78%; recognises the significant impact that rough sleeping has on a person's health and happiness and therefore the increased urgency in providing funding for prevention; acknowledges that the underlying problems at the heart of these figures go beyond a lack of affordable housing and include poor mental health, domestic abuse, substance dependency and a lack of supported accommodation; notes calls for investment in services which address those issues; commends the work of Cyrenians in these areas, working nationally and across Central and the East of Scotland to tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness; thanks Cyrenians staff, volunteers, supporters and partners who take a compassionate, person-centred and practical approach to supporting people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness, and commits to sustained partnership across government, local authorities, the third sector, communities and people with lived experience.