Chamber and committees

That the Parliament marks the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001; remembers those who lost their lives in New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania; honours the courage and sacrifice of the emergency responders and rescue workers who responded to the attacks; expresses solidarity with survivors and bereaved families, and reaffirms the importance of defending democracy, freedom and the rule of law against terrorism and violent extremism.

That the Parliament recognises the work of Donkeyfield Community Orchard in Portobello; commends the volunteers who give their time to maintain and improve this valued community asset; notes the orchard’s contribution to local food production and the creation of locally made goods that can be sold within the community; believes that community orchards can strengthen local self-reliance, encourage practical skills and rural education, support biodiversity and bring people together; recognises the wider potential for community-led orchards to support small-scale food and drink production, local enterprise and stronger neighbourhoods; believes that community groups are often best placed to understand and improve their own areas, and calls on the Scottish Government to consider how to provide proportionate support to enable more locally led community orchard projects to develop across Scotland.

That the Parliament notes with serious concern the continued use of live animals, including dogs, pigs and non-human primates, in scientific testing and research in East Lothian; believes that scientific research should move away from the use of such animals wherever credible alternatives exist; considers that reliance on animal testing should not continue simply because it has become established practice; recognises the rapid development of modern alternatives, including human cell-based testing, organ-on-a-chip technology, advanced computer modelling and AI; believes that Scotland should be at the forefront of developing and adopting these technologies rather than remaining dependent on practices that involve highly sentient mammals and non-human primates; further believes that public funding should support modern, effective and humane scientific research and should not be used to perpetuate unnecessary animal experimentation where credible alternatives are available; calls for greater transparency regarding the use of animals in scientific procedures, and urges the Scottish Government to use the funding, research, innovation and economic development powers available to it to support the development, validation and adoption of credible non-animal alternatives.

That the Parliament recognises and thanks the Summer Crew Volunteers, Musselburgh Street Clean, Musselburgh in Bloom, East Lothian Countryside Rangers, Discovering Musselburgh and all other youth and community groups in the area for their hard work and dedication throughout the summer; believes that these groups, made up largely of teenagers and young people, have demonstrated an outstanding sense of community spirit and pride during the summer holidays; notes that, as part of their efforts to clean up and improve their local communities, participants have taken part in litter picking, sanding, painting, weeding and planting flowers, which, it believes, has helped to make public spaces cleaner, brighter and more welcoming for everyone; recognises what it considers to be the particularly positive difference that their work has made in and around the Brunton Hall and across Musselburgh; believes that initiatives such as these provide a fantastic opportunity for young people to socialise, spend time outdoors, develop new skills and take pride in the places where they live; commends every young person and volunteer who has given up their time to make a difference, and believes that their enthusiasm, hard work and commitment are a great example of the positive contribution that young people make to their communities.

That the Parliament congratulates and recognises Mr Neil Sharp, of Colinton, Edinburgh, on his forthcoming retirement following what it considers to be an outstanding 31 years of service at Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club; recognises what it sees as Neil’s remarkable contribution to the hotel, to the hospitality industry and to Edinburgh and the Lothians’ reputation as a welcoming destination for visitors from around the world; understands that, during more than three decades, first as a waiter and subsequently as a concierge, Neil has welcomed tens of thousands of guests through Dalmahoy’s doors and believes that, through his warmth and friendly manner, has helped make countless visits to Scotland memorable; notes that Neil is currently the hotel’s fourth longest-serving member of staff and further understands that he has become a much-loved and familiar face to generations of guests, members and colleagues, many of whom have come to know him personally over the years; further believes that Neil represents the very best traditions of Scottish hospitality, and that his loyalty and dedication to Dalmahoy throughout his career are worthy of particular recognition; further understands that, after one final summer of welcoming guests, Neil will hang up his uniform for the last time on 4 September 2026; notes that Neil's retirement will mark the end of an era at Dalmahoy, and further believes that he will be greatly missed by all those who have had the pleasure of working with him, meeting him or being welcomed by him over the years, and wishes Neil a long, restful and richly deserved retirement filled with happiness, good health and many enjoyable years ahead.

As an amendment to motion S7M-00128 in the name of Màiri McAllan (Expanding Childcare), insert at end ", believes that the Scottish Government needs to strengthen the existing offer of 1,140 hours of funded childcare by prioritising working families and introducing means testing based on need in order to allocate resources fairly; further believes that it must also ensure that funding is allocated in a fair and transparent manner by allowing support to follow the child, rather than channelling funding primarily through council-run provision, and calls on the Scottish Government to adopt a phased approach to any childcare expansion, with clear evaluation at each stage and a focus on ages two to five as well as early primary wraparound care."