Chamber and committees

That the Parliament notes that a number of Palestinian students from Gaza, including Renad Salem, a dedicated midwife working in Gaza, have received unconditional offers to study at Scottish universities but face tuition fees of around £33,000; understands that this is unaffordable for individuals and families affected by conflict and displacement; commends the efforts of people across Scotland who have supported these students through fundraising and crowdfunding initiatives; understands, however, that UK visa requirements mean that such support alone is often insufficient and that students require confirmation of full funding in order to secure study visas; notes reports that the Scottish Government pledged during the 2026 Scottish Parliament election campaign to establish a scholarship scheme for students from Gaza, but that any such scheme may not be introduced until 2027; believes that this timescale risks excluding students who are due to begin their studies in the 2026-27 academic year, and calls on the Scottish Government to introduce, as a matter of urgency, a scholarship or equivalent support scheme to enable Palestinian students with offers from Scottish universities to take up their places this academic year.

That the Parliament notes with deep sadness the death of John Douglas, founder, songwriter and guitarist of the Trashcan Sinatras; recognises that his exceptional songwriting abilities and musical talent were widely admired by audiences, fellow musicians and critics alike; notes that the band released six acclaimed studio albums, beginning with Cake, originally issued in 1990 and re-released in 2023, when it finally reached the UK Top 10 some 33 years after its debut; further notes his recent performances as a solo artist and alongside his wife, the love of his life, Eddi Reader; recognises that, at the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, Eddi Reader famously performed Wild Mountainside, written by John Douglas; believes that his music has made an enduring contribution to Scotland's cultural life and international musical reputation; expresses its sincere condolences to Eddi Reader, his family, friends, bandmates and all who knew and loved him; considers that his passing is a profound loss to the Scottish and wider music industry, and further believes that, while he will be sorely missed, his remarkable songs and musical legacy will continue to inspire and be cherished for generations to come.

That the Parliament notes with deep concern reports that 26 staff members and associates of the Srebrenica Memorial Centre in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been summoned for questioning by Republika Srpska police in Zvornik; recognises what it sees as the vital role of the Srebrenica Memorial Centre in preserving the memory of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide through education, research, commemoration and public engagement; believes that many of those affected are themselves survivors of the genocide and continue to work in challenging circumstances marked by genocide denial, historical revisionism and the glorification of convicted war criminals; further believes that any intimidation of survivors, educators, researchers and memorial workers undermines efforts to uphold truth, justice and remembrance; reaffirms Scotland’s longstanding commitment to genocide education and to challenging hatred and intolerance in all its forms, including through support for the work of Beyond Srebrenica; expresses solidarity with the staff, associates and supporters of the Srebrenica Memorial Centre; condemns any actions that seek to intimidate those working to preserve historical truth and the memory of the victims of genocide; and calls on the Scottish Government to raise these concerns with the UK Government and international partners, while continuing to support initiatives that promote genocide education, remembrance and the defence of human rights.

That the Parliament welcomes the passage through the Irish Parliament of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2026 and its signature into law by President Catherine Connolly on July 23, 2026; recognises the Bill as a significant effort to ensure that goods produced in Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are not imported into Ireland; notes reports that the settlements have been consistently found to be illegal under international law, including by the International Court of Justice and in numerous United Nations resolutions; believes that trade with illegal settlements contributes to the maintenance and expansion of those settlements; considers that states have a responsibility to ensure that their trade policies are consistent with international law and the protection of human rights; welcomes legislative initiatives that seek to uphold these principles through peaceful and lawful means, and calls on the Scottish and UK governments to examine measures that would ensure that trade policy does not support or facilitate economic activity arising from illegal settlements in occupied territories, in accordance with international law.

That the Parliament welcomes proposals to establish a Scottish Rock and Roll Music Hall of Fame in Glasgow through the redevelopment of the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA); notes the strong support for the project from leading figures in Scotland's music industry, including Midge Ure, Dougie Payne, Lulu, Billy Sloan and Ronnie Gurr; recognises Scotland's outstanding contribution to music and its reputation for producing artists and performers whose influence far exceeds the country's size; further recognises Glasgow's international standing as a UNESCO City of Music and home to iconic live music venues such as King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, the Barrowland Ballroom and the Sub Club; believes that a national music hall of fame would be an important cultural asset for both Glasgow and Scotland, celebrating the nation's rich musical heritage, supporting cultural tourism and inspiring future generations of musicians, and calls on Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government to support Scotland's grassroots music venues, wider music industry and the establishment of a Scottish Rock and Roll Music Hall of Fame in Glasgow.

As an amendment to motion S7M-00469, in the name of Neil Gray (Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population), insert at end "; is concerned that the current prison population crisis is chronically hampering effective rehabilitation; calls on the Scottish Government to increase its investment in GPS technology and speed up its roll out, and notes that the current approach to rehabilitation, community justice and early release is failing to address the prison population crisis.

That the Parliament recognises the incredible life of much-loved Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale, a spy who became a trailblazer for women in the secret service, who was once tipped to lead MI6 and who died in May 2026; understands that Margaret (Meta) Ramsay was from a working-class background and graduated from the University of Glasgow, becoming active in international student politics in the 1950s and joining the Diplomatic Service in 1969; notes that her service in the field ended officially when she was promoted to a senior MI6 headquarters role in 1987; believes that, by then, she had built a formidable reputation in her 22 years of service, including as station chief in Finland, infiltrating agents in the Soviet Union to get defectors out and notably, in one of the most audacious operations of the Cold War, extracting double agent Oleg Gordievsky from the Soviet Union from under the nose of the Russians; notes that, in an interview in 2024, she recalled many brushes with danger; understands that, famously, she used her field experience to open the locked village hall on the occasion of George Robertson’s 50th birthday celebrations; acknowledges that she retired at the mandatory age of 55 after the Gulf War as the most senior woman in the service, and, as a lifelong socialist, subsequently served as foreign policy adviser to the late Labour leader, John Smith MP, before becoming a UK Government minister under Tony Blair and helping to steer the Scotland Bill through the House of Lords, and believes that her integrity, commitment and quiet strength will be remembered by all who had the privilege to know and work with her.

That the Parliament regrets that cuts to police officer numbers have disproportionately fallen on local divisions, reducing the number of officers on the frontline; is deeply concerned about reports of rising crime, particularly violent crime; recognises that the proportion of people reporting that they feel safe after dark is at the lowest point on record; considers that failures to modernise the court system and support mental health care have resulted in a poor use of police officer time, which should be focused on reducing crime; believes that there is a need to restore community policing, and calls for the creation of community and crime prevention officers in every council ward in Scotland.

That the Parliament understands that recently reported statistics indicate that Scotland's police officers are having to deal with almost 700 mental health-related incidents every single day; notes that between April and October 2025, Police Scotland officers responded to 122,735 incidents, which represents one in five of all incidents police officers attend; further notes that only 15% of these calls involve criminality and that all of this comes at a time when police officer numbers have reportedly fallen by over 1000 since 2013; believes that expecting police officers to fill the gap of struggling and under pressure mental health and NHS services is neither credible nor desirable and is placing a huge strain on an already stretched police service, and calls on the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to take immediate action to address the mental health crisis by restoring community policing that is properly funded and locally accountable, reversing non-attendance policies for core incidents affecting safety and vulnerability, compelling community planning partners to adopt a multi-agency approach to community safety and prioritising psychological wellbeing as a core operational requirement.