Chamber and committees

As an amendment to motion S7M-01264 in the name of John Swinney (Scotland’s Right to Decide), insert at end "; recognises that Scotland faces pressing challenges that require urgent action to improve people’s lives; believes that the Scottish Government must strengthen its efforts to build a fairer, more equal and prosperous Scotland; recognises that tackling child poverty must be an immediate national priority; believes that parties across the Parliament should work together to deliver the actions needed to reduce child poverty; recognises the positive impact of measures such as the Scottish Child Payment and the removal of the two-child limit in tackling child poverty; further recognises the importance of secure employment, education, housing and strong communities in achieving this, and reaffirms its commitment to achieving the targets set out in the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017, including reducing relative child poverty to fewer than one in 10 children by 2030."

That the Parliament welcomes the publication of a new independent evaluation of the Big Noise programme in Scotland by the Glasgow Centre for Population Health; notes the evaluation's findings that the programme is generating "positive and sustained" change in the communities in which it operates; further notes that Big Noise provides critical support to children and young people experiencing disadvantage, helping to address the impacts of poverty, including isolation, barriers to opportunity and post-school outcomes; commends the programme’s success in improving skills, confidence, social connection and emotional wellbeing; recognises its contribution to communities across Scotland since 2008; celebrates the particular impact of Big Noise's after-school provision; acknowledges the achievements of the young people who have taken part in the programme, as well as the commitment of its staff and volunteers, and wishes Big Noise every success for the future.

That the Parliament marks the completion of Kanzen for Life Centre in Dundee; notes that Kanzen for Life is a charity that aims to use physical activity and workshops to promote education and wellbeing and build confidence in individuals; acknowledges that the centre, which is located on Clepington Road, will act as a community hub in an area within the most deprived 5% of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation; recognises that Kanzen for Life won the People’s Choice Award at the 2025 Social Enterprise Awards Scotland for its outstanding contribution to community wellbeing, and wishes Kanzen for Life continued success in its efforts to positively transform lives within its community.

That the Parliament congratulates the NHS Tayside midwifery-led Birth Reflections service on reaching its third anniversary; notes that the service was launched on 19 June 2023 to provide a confidential self-referral service for women and birth partners wishing to discuss their birth experiences and emotional wellbeing; understands that, since its inception, the service has received more than 330 self-referrals and delivered over 280 birth reflection sessions; recognises the important role that such support can play in helping families process both positive and challenging birth experiences; commends the dedication of the midwives and staff involved in delivering the service across Tayside; welcomes the availability of appointments in both community and hospital settings, as well as through virtual platforms, and wishes the team continued success in supporting families throughout Dundee, Angus, Perth and Kinross.

As an amendment to motion S7M-00309 in the name of Ivan McKee (Public Service Reform: Empowering Staff, Service Users and Local Communities), insert at end  “, that the Scottish Government’s approach to public service reform should align with the principles of Community Wealth Building, Fair Work and the European Charter for Local Self-Government and the need to encourage economic growth, and calls on the Scottish Government to produce a detailed timetable for the reduction in the number of public bodies as part of a drive to reduce broader waste and to produce a holistic assessment of the impact of the public sector reform programme on Scotland's vital third sector.”

As an amendment to motion S7M-00249 in the name of Jenny Gilruth (Wealth Taxation for Public Services), insert at end "; notes that the Scottish Government’s Medium Term Financial Strategy, published in June 2025, projected a funding gap of over £4.7 billion by 2029-30; considers that developing a sustainable plan to close this gap is essential to Scotland’s public services and that it is incumbent on all parties in the Parliament to work towards this goal; believes that, to this end, the Scottish Government should take a strategic approach across all devolved taxation in Scotland to include an immediate and comprehensive review of business rates, including consideration of measures such as widening the scope of Fresh Start relief to include businesses that occupy an empty unit within six months of the unit becoming vacant, and further believes that the Scottish Government should convene cross-party talks on council tax reform immediately."  

That the Parliament congratulates the University of Dundee on it rising 14 places to 25th in the UK in the latest Complete University Guide rankings, making it one of the fastest-rising universities in the country and the third-ranked university in Scotland; recognises the hard work and dedication of staff, students and researchers whose efforts have contributed to this achievement; notes the vital role that the university plays as a major employer in Dundee and across Scotland; welcomes the recognition of the university’s strengths in teaching, quality, student satisfaction and graduate outcomes, and believes that this success demonstrates the hard work and resilience of staff and students in challenging circumstances for the institution, as well as the importance of securing a sustainable future for Scotland’s higher education sector.

As an amendment to motion S6M-20654 in the name of Craig Hoy (Opposing the Scottish Government's Proposed Council Tax Rises), leave out from first “notes” to end and insert "is concerned for the future of local services, in light of nearly two decades of underfunding of local government by the Scottish National Party administration; regrets the failure of the Scottish Government to build a consensus for much-needed reform of local government taxation, and calls on the next Scottish administration to take leadership and create a sustainable, long-term funding solution for local government."

That the Parliament welcomes the news of a transformative £1.5 million funding boost from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for Aberdeen’s Belmont cinema, which has been closed since 2022; commends the work of chief executive Matt Buchanan, fundraisers Gemma Cruickshank and Sarah Dingwall, community development manager Michelle Soto, chair of the board of trustees Jacob Campbell, and all trustees and volunteers at the Belmont Community Cinema on securing this funding; recognises the role of local cinemas in the cultural and economic regeneration of city centres, and celebrates the news that Belmont Cinema is on track to reopen in 2027, when it will encourage Aberdeen audiences to fall in love with cinema again.

That the Parliament notes the publication of Level Up Scotland: A National Action Plan for the Scottish Games Sector, by the Scottish Games Network; recognises what it considers is the growing importance of the games sector to Scotland’s economy, international reputation and high-skilled employment; notes the action plan’s ambition to scale the sector to £1 billion gross value added (GVA) by 2030, and the reported productivity of the sector, including an estimated £151,382 GVA per head; further notes what it sees as Dundee’s longstanding reputation as Scotland’s games capital and the contribution of its studios, talent pipeline and creative ecosystem; notes the view that there should be a parliamentary debate about the action plan and the steps required to support sustainable growth in the sector, and further notes the calls on the Scottish Government to set out how it will engage with the recommendations in the plan, including on skills, investment and support for innovation, to help secure jobs and economic growth across Scotland.