Chamber and committees

That the Parliament notes the lodging of a planning application for a 1GW hyperscale data centre next to the decommissioned nuclear power plant at Chapelcross in Dumfries and Galloway; believes that the proposed facility would be the biggest in the world, surpassing the 946MW SpaceXAI Colossus 2 in Tennessee; understands with concern that 60% of the campus would be built on greenfield land and would not fully utilise the existing brownfield land on the site; further understands that the proposed data centre would use an estimated 7 terawatt hours of electricity each year, equivalent to the annual electricity usage of over two million households; welcomes the position of the Scottish Government that “no decisions on planning or consenting in relation to such applications should be made” until a wide range of strategic work has been done by the Scottish Ministers, including environmental standards and assessments, but believes that, until there is a clear and coherent national strategy from the Scottish Government, this proposal, and others across the country, cannot proceed.

That the Parliament wishes the Earlstoun Lightning Oak, which is near St John’s Town of Dalry in Dumfries and Galloway, the very best of luck in the Woodland Trust’s UK Tree of the Year 2026 competition; notes that voting closes at 5pm on 29 September; celebrates its selection as one of two trees shortlisted from Scotland; understands that the oak is believed to be more than 475-years-old and was recorded in the 1850s as the "Big Oak of Earlstoun"; notes that it survived the felling of the surrounding ancient woodland and continues to stand, despite losing a major limb to a lightning strike; recognises its distinctive angled trunk and the scar running from the damaged limb to the ground as symbols of its remarkable resilience; believes that ancient and veteran trees are an irreplaceable part of Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage, that they provide habitats for wildlife and connect communities to their local history, and congratulates everyone involved in securing the Earlstoun Lightning Oak’s place on the shortlist.

That the Parliament expresses its deep sadness at the death of former Kirkcudbright Academy pupil, Arkadii Petrov, who was killed while fighting against Russian forces in eastern Ukraine; understands that Arkadii and his family came to Kirkcudbright as refugees following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and that he had recently turned 21; recognises the warm welcome that communities across Galloway have extended to people seeking safety from conflict and what it sees as the important contribution that refugees have made to local life; acknowledges the profound loss felt by Arkadii’s family, friends, classmates, teachers and the wider Kirkcudbright community; offers its sincere condolences to everyone who knew and loved him; remembers all those whose lives have been lost or changed by the conflict in Ukraine; condemns Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine, and encourages renewed international efforts to secure a just and lasting peace that protects the freedom, sovereignty and security of the people of Ukraine.

That the Parliament congratulates Galashiels Academy S6 pupil, Daniel Maltman, on setting a world deadlift record for a 16-year-old by lifting an extraordinary 303.5kg; recognises the discipline and strength required to achieve such a result; notes that Daniel has been awarded his Gold School Colours pin in recognition of his achievement; commends Galashiels Academy, his family and everyone who has supported his sporting development; believes that his accomplishment will inspire other young people to pursue their ambitions in sport, and wishes Daniel every success in his future training and competitions.

That the Parliament congratulates the Dumfries Community Workshop on the opening of its new premises at Friars Vennel, Dumfries on 12 September 2026; recognises the workshop as a new community-led venue providing space for bicycle recycling, refurbishment and repair, skills sharing, community repair activities and active travel support; commends Dumfries Community Workshop Community Interest Company for its commitment to creating a sustainable, inclusive and practical community resource, with any surplus reinvested into its operations for local benefit; acknowledges the support provided by the Dumfries Town Board in helping bring the project to fruition; believes that initiatives to encourage repair, reuse, active travel and the sharing of skills make an important contribution to environmental sustainability, community wellbeing and social connection; welcomes the positive impact that the workshop is expected to have for people across Dumfries and the surrounding area, and wishes everyone involved every success for the future.

That the Parliament congratulates everyone involved in organising Hawick’s RIDONKULOUS Great Street Day, which was held on 12 September 2026; understands that the event transformed the town's High Street into a colourful community space and brought together more than 20 stallholders, local businesses, community organisations, entertainers and active travel groups; welcomes the inclusion of Hawick Community Council’s Farmers' Market, opportunities for families to try bikes and scooters, guided walks along the recently launched Hawick Bridges Trail and the RIDONKULOUS mini donkey shop-window treasure hunt; recognises the contribution of local volunteers, including pupils from Hawick’s primary schools and high school; understands that the wider RIDONKULOUS campaign encourages people to leave the car at home and instead walk, wheel, scoot or cycle for shorter everyday journeys; believes that making these choices easier and more attractive can support healthier lifestyles, reduce emissions and traffic, and help create safer, more welcoming and vibrant town centres, and wishes the RIDONKULOUS campaign continued success.

That the Parliament welcomes the opening of the new early learning and childcare provision at Heriot Primary School in the Scottish Borders; believes that the setting has been established in response to growing demand for early learning and childcare in Heriot and surrounding villages; acknowledges the collaborative efforts of Scottish Borders Council, the school staff, the parent council and the wider community in bringing the project to fruition; notes the ambition to further develop outdoor learning opportunities as the setting grows; believes that high-quality early years provision plays an important role in supporting children and families while helping to sustain and strengthen rural communities; welcomes what it believes will be the positive impact that the new nursery will have on school enrolment and the long-term future of Heriot Primary School, and wishes the children, families and staff every success for the future.

That the Parliament welcomes NSPCC Scotland’s Read, Write, Relationships campaign, which calls for all children and young people in Scotland to be guaranteed access to high-quality healthy relationships education; understands that, as children and young people across Scotland return to school this term, many face a gap in their timetables where healthy relationships education should be, and believes that consistent, relevant and developmentally-appropriate healthy relationships education helps children and young people understand both healthy and unhealthy behaviours, prevents abuse and neglect, and helps build positive school cultures.

That the Parliament congratulates The Steam Packet Inn, in the Isle of Whithorn, on being named the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Scotland Pub of the Year; recognises that this is a significant achievement for the business, its staff and the wider south of Scotland; notes that the pub will now go forward to represent Scotland in CAMRA’s UK Pub of the Year competition, having secured its place among the 16 finalists across the United Kingdom; acknowledges what it considers to be the important role that community pubs play in bringing people together, supporting local economies and attracting visitors to rural and coastal communities; commends the dedication of the owners and staff in creating a welcoming venue that showcases the very best of Scottish hospitality; recognises the work of CAMRA and its volunteers in championing pubs, breweries and real ale across Scotland, and wishes everyone at The Steam Packet Inn every success in the next stage of the competition.

That the Parliament welcomes the success of the 2026 Summer School programme delivered by the Monklands Replacement Project; notes that more than 60 S4 to S6 pupils from across Lanarkshire participated in three programmes covering construction, clinical care and facilities management; understands that pupils attending the construction programme learned about project management, quantity surveying, building surveying, cost control and workplace safety, and also visited the site of the proposed new hospital; further understands that the clinical programme introduced pupils to nursing, occupational therapy, orthoptics, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy through the care journey of a patient who had experienced a stroke; welcomes the introduction of an additional off-site programme for pupils unable to attend the hospital-based events, which explored how facilities management roles support safe patient care; believes that practical learning of this kind can build confidence, widen young people’s understanding of the careers available to them and connect classroom learning with real workplaces; commends everyone involved in delivering the programme, and wishes the participating pupils well for the future.