Chamber and committees

That the Parliament congratulates Southesk Primary School, in Montrose, on becoming the first school in Angus to receive OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) accreditation, achieving Platinum status with an outstanding score of 95%; recognises that this makes Southesk one of only two schools in Scotland to attain Platinum status and the highest-scoring school in Scotland to date; further recognises that its score places Southesk among the top five percent of schools in the UK for excellent practice in outdoor play and learning; commends the leadership of head teacher, Elaine Thornton, the commitment of the school staff and the contribution of pupils, parents and the wider school community over the two-year OPAL journey; understands that OPAL is a whole-school approach that transforms playtimes through staff training, environmental development and meaningful pupil participation, making children's right to play and their right to be heard a reality in everyday school life; notes in particular that the approach puts into practice Articles 31 and 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, supporting children's right to play and their right to participate in decisions affecting them; further notes reported improvements in pupils' behaviour, readiness to learn and wellbeing, alongside improved wellbeing and job satisfaction among support staff; recognises Southesk's approach as an inspiring example of school improvement through community placemaking, co-design, inclusion and children's voice; welcomes the school's commitment to creating an outdoor space in which, in the words of its pupils, “everyone is welcome to come and join in”, and celebrates the contribution of Southesk Primary School and Play Scotland to making high-quality, inclusive and equitable play opportunities a reality for children in Angus and across Scotland.

That the Parliament congratulates Stobswell Forum on its involvement in the Community Reliance and Coherence project, conducted in association with the St Andrews University School of Geography and Sustainable Development and the Centre for Population Change as part of its Connecting Generations programme; welcomes the resultant publication of the Life in Stobswell report; understands that Stobswell Forum has been working in its area of Dundee for more than 20 years with many of its achievements, alongside those of others locally, being reflected in the ‘what Stobswell does well’ section of the report; recognises the ongoing challenges detailed in Life in Stobswell, and wishes Stobswell Forum and the other organisations working in the area to address these challenges every success with their future activities.

That the Parliament congratulates the organisers of Scotland's environmental film festival, Montrose LandxSea Film Fest, on its annual festival held at Montrose Playhouse; notes that the programme for the festival’s fourth year, which will take place between 11 to 13 September 2026, has been launched; further notes that this year’s programme includes 22 new films, a range of inspiring speakers and the opportunity for thought provoking discussion and activity; understands that LandxSea continues to be funded by Screen Scotland, part of Creative Scotland, delivering services and support with funding from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery, and wishes Montrose LandxSea Film Festival every success with this festival and its ongoing activities.

That the Parliament welcomes the appointment of Dundee University Students' Association (DUSA) as the catering provider for the co-Designing Innovative infrastructure for Sustainable Healthy & Equitable Diets (DISHED) one-year public diner pilot in Dundee; further welcomes that a High Street location has been secured for the diner following public consultation; understands that public diners are state-supported restaurants which, alongside public libraries and parks, form part of public infrastructure; believes that food system transformation is a key method for achieving Scotland’s sustainable development goals and notes that the Nourish Scotland report, Public Diners: The Idea Whose Time Has Come, identifies public diners as a means of improving nutrition and public health, providing accessible communal and social spaces and removing barriers to good food; further believes that public diners can play a role in creating a sustainable food system and building healthier communities, and pays tribute to the work of Nourish Scotland in engaging with communities across Dundee to build support for the pilot.

That the Parliament congratulates Sustainable Kirriemuir on recently securing a £250,000 grant from the National Lottery Community Action Fund; understands that, over the next four years, the funding will be used to strengthen community resilience, support people facing poverty and isolation, increase access to nature, promote low-carbon living and build environmental foundations for a healthier, more connected and sustainable Kirriemuir; notes that Sustainable Kirriemuir was established in 2019 in response to Scotland’s declaration of the climate emergency; recognises its contribution to raising awareness of climate change and the benefits of sustainable practice; applauds the work of Sustainable Kirriemuir and its volunteers in advancing active travel, supporting action for nature, promoting food growing and sustainable living, and wishes the organisation every success with its future activities.

That the Parliament recognises the valuable work that the Angus Up-cycling Project’s volunteers carry out in the community by restoring small items of furniture and reducing waste; congratulates the project on being awarded a £20,000 grant from the National Lottery Awards for All fund; understands that the funding will support an expansion of its premises, enabling the Forfar-based reuse initiative to support more people, and wishes Angus Upcycling Project every success with its future work.

That the Parliament welcomes Abertay University’s plans for a new energy centre and the associated establishment of a wastewater to energy scheme; notes that the university plans to replace existing energy infrastructure with a new system based on sewer-sourced heat technology; understands that this development has the potential to create a much wider heat network for the city, transforming the way that homes are heated, thereby reducing energy bills and climate emissions; applauds Abertay University for focusing on what it sees as this ambitious project, and wishes the institution every success with its activities related to this initiative.

That the Parliament recognises Project Slingshot and its efforts to encourage informed public discussion about the realities of modern animal agriculture and the treatment of non-human animals, including farmed fish, in food production systems; believes that tens of millions of sentient non-human animals in Scotland alone are raised and slaughtered each year for food, often in intensive conditions that raise profound ethical and welfare concerns; further believes that meaningful scrutiny of the systems that produce food is essential to a healthy democracy and to informed consumer choice; considers that conversations about food production should include consideration of animal welfare, environmental sustainability, public health, workers’ rights and rural livelihoods; believes that Scotland should aspire to a food system founded on compassion, transparency and justice for all beings; welcomes initiatives that invite the public to reflect critically on humanity’s relationship with non-human animals and the consequences of industrial farming practices, and calls on policymakers, producers, campaigners and the wider public to engage in open, evidence-based dialogue about how Scotland can transition towards food systems that reduce suffering, protect the environment and support a more sustainable and ethical future.

That the Parliament expresses its deep concern at the proposed suspension of undergraduate mathematics degrees at the University of Dundee, as part of the university’s measures to reduce costs; understands that the National Student Survey (NSS) has put Dundee as number one for maths, with calls from academic bodies and organisations such as the Campaign for Mathematical Sciences for the decision to pause the undergraduate BSc (Hons) and Math (Hons) programmes from 2027 to be reversed; considers that the proposed cut to mathematics, alongside philosophy and languages, will reduce the range of available areas of study in the city; believes that those that have signed petitions and made calls to halt the suspensions should have their concerns noted, and calls on the university leadership team, Dundee City Council and the Scottish Government to work collaboratively with staff, students and the residents of Dundee to secure a sustainable future for these important areas of study at the university.

That the Parliament recognises the 90th anniversary of the military coup that began on 17 July 1936 in Spanish Morocco and, on the following day, spread to mainland Spain, marking the beginning of the Spanish Civil War; notes that the coup sought to overthrow the democratically elected Second Spanish Republic, whose programme included rural land reform, secular education and the extension of rights, including women's suffrage; acknowledges that workers, trade unionists, loyal members of the armed forces and police, and ordinary citizens resisted the coup in many towns and cities in defence of democracy; notes that the conflict lasted almost three years and that the rebel forces received extensive military support from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, while the Republican Government was constrained by the policy of non-intervention adopted by the UK Government and other European powers; recognises the solidarity shown by the tens of thousands of volunteers of the International Brigades from more than 50 countries; pays particular tribute to the more than 500 volunteers from Scotland who travelled to Spain to defend democracy and oppose fascism, many of whom never returned and remain buried on Spanish soil; remembers all those who lost their lives in the struggle against fascism and dictatorship; reaffirms the Parliament's commitment to democracy, international solidarity and opposition to fascism in all its forms; believes in the importance of challenging and opposing fascism wherever it arises, and declares, in honour of those who stood against Franco's coup and in enduring solidarity with all who resist fascism, "¡No Pasarán!"