Chamber and committees

That the Parliament congratulates Iain Meadows, station manager and breakfast presenter at Radio Wester Ross, on winning the Gold award for Presenter of the Year – Man at the 2026 Community Radio Awards; understands that the award followed a rigorous judging process recognising outstanding programming, community engagement, innovation and impact; notes Iain’s view that radio delivered at a local level is every bit as important as national and regional radio, particularly in telling the stories that matter to Wester Ross; commends the dedicated team at Radio Wester Ross for its hard work in giving the area a voice, and celebrates the vital role that community radio plays in connecting and informing rural and remote communities across the Highlands.

That the Parliament congratulates the pupils and staff at Wick High School who recently made radio contact with an astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS); notes that this was the most northerly direct educational link with the ISS ever made in the UK; celebrates the initiative and ingenuity shown by all those involved in this memorable educational experience, and recognises what it sees as the vital role played by Highland Broadband's roll-out of an ultrafast broadband network, the company being the only full-fibre broadband provider building exclusively in Scotland, in partnership with the Scottish National Investment Bank.

That the Parliament recognises that 4 November 2026 marks National Engineering Day; acknowledges what it sees as the vital contribution that engineers make across a range of sectors and their central role in driving economic growth and developing solutions to tackle climate change; welcomes the role of businesses such as RSE in innovating and advancing the resilient infrastructure needed for generations to come; understands that RSE is one of Scotland’s leading businesses for water technology, manufacturing and specialist engineering; commends its contribution to the UK economy and its position as a high-value employer; notes that RSE generated £141.1m gross value added for the Scottish economy and supported 1,648 jobs in 2024-25, with salaries mostly above the national average; welcomes the delivery by the Muir of Ord-headquartered business of £65.5m to the Highland economy and 744 jobs across the region; recognises RSE’s commitment to developing the next generation of engineers, with 105 apprentices across the UK and a 90% retention rate, and wishes everyone at RSE, and across the world of engineering, every success in developing the skills and embracing the opportunities on which the industry’s future depends on.

That the Parliament celebrates the opening of Sumitomo Electric’s HVDC subsea cable factory at the Port of Nigg in Easter Ross, which is the first of its kind in the UK; commends the projected establishment of over 200 jobs at the factory and hundreds more UK-wide; welcomes its contribution towards the expansion of the UK’s clean energy capabilities and goal of achieving net zero by 2050; acknowledges what it sees as the significant role that the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport possesses in serving Scotland's offshore sector, and notes the importance that industry in Caithness, Sutherland and Ross holds towards expanding the UK’s home-grown energy network.

That the Parliament congratulates the East Sutherland Rotary Club on the success of its 20th annual Duck Race in Brora, raising £2,500 for youth and children’s projects in East Sutherland; recognises the work that the Rotary Club does to improve local communities; commends the work done to engage young people in their community through engagement with environmental projects, humanitarian projects such as the shoebox appeal, and helping preparations for the duck race; commends the club for the opportunities for growth it provides to young people through interview preparations and national creative competitions; further commends the club for the help it provides to elderly people in local community; celebrates a thriving community heartbeat in Sutherland, and celebrates all the voluntary and community work done by people across Caithness, Sutherland and Ross. 

As an amendment to motion S7M-01448 in the name of Stephen Gethins (Scotland’s Prosperity and Future in Europe), insert at end ", and therefore believes that the first essential steps must be for the UK to join the single market as a member of the European Free Trade Area and European Economic Area, form a new UK-EU customs union and reach a new defence pact, in order to fully remove trade barriers to Europe, reverse years of economic damage that has been caused by the Brexit deal negotiated by the Conservative UK administration, and make the UK richer, safer and stronger."

As an amendment to motion S7M-01304 in the name of Màiri McAllan (Growing Scotland’s Creative Economy), insert at end "; notes that the games sector contributes around £200m annually to the Scottish economy, employs over 2,000 people and has produced internationally recognised success stories; considers, however, that there are opportunities to grow the sector further and better compete with other countries around Europe, and calls on the Scottish Government to unlock investment and growth in the games sector by establishing a national games innovation centre alongside regional hubs as a means of developing expertise, research, fair work, business skills and low-cost office space for start-up studios."

That the Parliament congratulates nine-year-old Skye Mackay on raising £1,245 for Munlochy Animal Aid by cutting 15 inches of her hair, which was donated to Little Princess Trust; celebrates the bravery shown in doing so at such a young age; commends the essential work done by the Little Princess Trust in helping children with cancer and funding childhood cancer research; further commends the noble work of Munlochy Animal Aid in rehabilitating and rehoming animals in need, and celebrates the charitable work done by children and young people across Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, which brings great social benefit to the area.

That the Parliament congratulates Caithness Ladies on winning their first piece of silverware, the ScottishPower Highlands and Island League; recognises the achievement of winning the title with a 100% record; further recognises the personal sacrifices made by players and coaches to help the club; commends the additional work done by players to help coach girls’ football at Thurso United, and celebrates the positive impact of the club on ladies football and the increasing number of women and girls participating in football in Caithness.

As an amendment to motion S7M-01264 in the name of John Swinney (Scotland’s Right to Decide), insert at end "and recalls that in the 2014 independence referendum people voted firmly to remain part of the UK, representing the will of the Scottish people; notes that the Scottish National Party’s stated objective prior to 7 May 2026 was to secure an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament elections in order to pursue independence, but that the party achieved fewer votes and seats than in the previous elections, and believes that the Scottish Government must now focus on fixing the NHS and care, helping people with the cost of living crisis, ensuring that communities have the power and resources to shape where they live through more decentralised decision-making, fixing the roads and the ferries and getting Scottish education back to its best, in order to deliver the change that Scotland deserves."