Chamber and committees

That the Parliament congratulates the Scotland men's shinty-hurling squad on its thrilling 24–23 victory over Ireland at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork, and on securing the Mowi Quaich; notes that this hard-fought success in the international compromise rules contest is Scotland's first win in this fixture since 2019, ending Ireland's three-match winning streak; commends the dedication and resilience shown by the players and backroom staff, led by captain Rory Kennedy of Newtonmore and manager Alan MacRae; highlights the exceptional performance of Oban Camanachd’s Andy Macdonald, who played the entire high-pace match with distinction, and wishes all players continued success in promoting and preserving the historic sporting ties between Scotland and Ireland.

That the Parliament regrets the continued opposition of the Scottish Government to the development of new nuclear power stations; notes with grave concern data published by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) showing that Scottish grid constraints added a record £342 million in charges to consumer bills in September 2026 alone, bringing total constraint costs for 2026 so far to £1.39 billion; understands that these costs, which arise when the network cannot transport power efficiently and require expensive rebalancing, are ultimately passed on to households and businesses; notes reports that annual balancing costs have risen more than six-fold since the retirement of Hunterston B Power Station and that NESO predicts these costs could double again by the end of the decade without urgent action on transmission and generation; believes that Scotland’s energy future relies on a pragmatic domestic energy mix that embraces new nuclear energy and safeguards jobs in the North Sea oil and gas sector through continued drilling, and notes the calls on the Scottish Government to drop what it sees as its ideologically driven stance against new nuclear sites and to work with industry bodies, including the Nuclear Industry Association, to deliver new Small Modular Reactors across Scotland.

That the Parliament congratulates Monster Fish and Chips Co. in Fort Augustus and Hilton Chip Shop in Inverness on being shortlisted in the top 20 best fish and chip shops in the UK, as part of the prestigious Takeaway of the Year award at the National Fish and Chip Awards 2027; understands that both shops made the original 40-strong longlist, which was announced in September 2026; recognises that both businesses are no strangers to receiving accolades for their fine fayre, with Monster Fish and Chips Co winning the Newcomer of the Year award at the 2026 ceremony, a Peter Hill Award in 2025, and receiving five stars from the National Federation of Fish Friers Quality Accreditation scheme, while Hilton Chip Shop have been recognised in the top 40 fish and chip shops in the UK for three years running and received an award in the Best Customer Service category at the 2025 Scottish Fish and Chip Awards, and wishes all of the staff and owners of both businesses the best of luck at the awards ceremony in 2027.

That the Parliament applauds Stagecoach on its decision to offer free travel across its bus services in Scotland to eligible serving military personnel, veterans and cadets to attend events and commemorations associated with Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day; believes that this important gesture will alleviate any potential financial pressures that may have otherwise been the case and that it will allow more people to attend local Remembrance events, especially in rural areas in the Highlands and Islands and elsewhere; recognises that Stagecoach has been a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant since March 2015 and holds Gold status under the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, and hopes that many serving military personnel, veterans and cadets are able to take up this offer from Stagecoach. 

That the Parliament congratulates the Highland Indian Association on its 25th anniversary of serving Indian families and friends of India across the Highlands; wishes the Highland Indian Association well for its 25th year Diwali celebration on 15 November 2026 at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness; commends the association for its Curry Ceilidh which, it understands, is unique to the Highlands and brings together Indian food and music with traditional Scottish ceilidh dancing, drawing people from across the local community; notes that the association has brought people together over the years through Diwali, Holi, cultural and charitable events and by welcoming new arrivals to the Highlands, and wishes the Highland Indian Association and its president, Rajkumar Dhanaraj, all the very best for the future.

That the Parliament recognises the importance of good transport connectivity to the long-term sustainability and resilience of rural and island communities across Scotland; believes that people are less likely to live, work, raise families and invest in rural areas when reliable connections to employment, education, healthcare and essential services cannot be guaranteed; notes with concern the growing number of rural bridges that are closed, restricted or in need of significant repair, including Cloddach Bridge, Arthur’s Bridge, the Spey Viaduct and other bridges across Moray and the wider Highlands and Islands region; believes that the closure or prolonged restriction of such infrastructure can have a disproportionate impact on rural communities; notes the calls on the Scottish Government to create a dedicated National Bridge Restoration Fund to allow local authorities to apply for funding to fix these vital links; acknowledges the £2 bus fare cap pledge in the Highlands and Islands, but believes that affordable fares are of limited benefit where bus services are infrequent, unreliable or have been withdrawn; notes the calls on the Scottish Government to establish a Small Town and Rural Bus Services Fund that would allow local authorities to apply for additional funding to keep bus routes open; recognises the vital role of air services in connecting remote and island communities; welcomes the launch of Project SEAN by Bristow, in partnership with HIAL, HITRANS and other organisations, which will develop electric aviation infrastructure across the Highlands and Islands; believes that new technologies could support the development of future passenger, NHS, cargo and other essential services to communities with poor connectivity; recognises the importance of delivering long-promised improvements to Scotland’s strategic road network, including the dualling of the A9 and A96 and a permanent solution to the A83 Rest and Be Thankful; believes that repeated delays, reviews and further rounds of planning cannot substitute for delivery, and notes the calls on the Scottish Government to match its commitments on tackling rural depopulation with the funding and action necessary to deliver the transport infrastructure and services that rural Scotland needs to remain populated, prosperous and connected.

That the Parliament welcomes that one of Argyll Coffee Roasters' signature blends, the award-winning Clyde Steamer blend, is featuring in its Clachan coffee bar during September 2026; notes that Argyll Coffee Roasters was founded in 2018 in Tighnabruaich by Eve McFarlane with an emphasis placed on hand roasting small batches of speciality-grade coffee in a sustainable way; understands that Argyll Coffee Roasters pays more for their beans than the base rate for coffee in order to fairly support coffee bean farmers; notes that the Clyde Steamer blend won the silver award at the Great British Food Awards in 2024, and wishes the whole team at Argyll Coffee Roasters well for the future.

That the Parliament welcomes the news that 851 people across Moray received employability support through the Moray Pathways Local Employability Partnership in 2025-26; understands that Moray Pathways is supported through £2.16 million of investment from Moray Council, the Scottish Government, and the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, which was introduced by the previous UK Conservative administration; notes that, of the total number of people who received support, 166 people entered employment or progressed within work, 95 people moved into further or higher education, 148 gained training and connections with local employers, and 57 people secured qualifications or training awards, among other achievements; believes that initiatives such as Moray Pathways are a great way of helping people into the workplace, which in turn helps to grow the local economy and reduce local unemployment; thanks the many organisations involved in Moray Pathways, and wishes the programme and its participants success in the future.

That the Parliament celebrates Merchant Navy Day on 3 September 2026; recognises that the occasion provides an important opportunity to honour the historic and ongoing contributions of those serving in the UK Merchant Navy and fishing fleets; pays tribute to the profound sacrifices made by merchant seafarers during wartime, remembering the tragic loss of the SS Athenia on 3 September 1939, hours after the outbreak of the Second World War; recognises the continued importance of merchant seafarers to the UK economy and to the safe delivery of essential goods, fuel and supplies; praises the efforts of organisations like The Seafarers’ Charity in promoting Merchant Navy Day and supporting retired and active seafarers; welcomes the decision of local authorities across the Highlands and Islands region, including Moray Council, to fly the Red Ensign, affectionately known as the Red Duster; notes the calls on the Scottish Parliament to amend its flag-flying policy to permit the flying of the Red Ensign on Merchant Navy Day in the future, and thanks the country's seafarers for all that they do.

That the Parliament welcomes Moray Council’s endorsement of the Forces Children’s Rights Charter and its support for the Dandelion Project; notes that Moray hosts Scotland's largest population of Armed Forces children, with 1,619 military background pupils; recognises the vital contributions of service personnel, veterans and their families; understands that the Dandelion Project, which was launched in 2024 with Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust support, enhances educational experiences, wellbeing and community connection for serving, reservist and veteran families; welcomes this work as national best practice reflecting strong partnerships between schools, families, local authorities, Forces Children Scotland and the wider military community; acknowledges the unique challenges that forces children face, including deployment, separation and frequent school transitions; welcomes the charter's commitment to recognising the voice and needs in policy of forces children; commends all involved in supporting Moray’s military families; welcomes Moray's commitment to securing future funding to sustain these efforts, and wishes the Dandelion Project, Forces Children Scotland and Moray’s Forces families continued success.