Chamber and committees

That the Parliament expresses disappointment that no Scottish manufacturer was procured for the manufacture of the Scottish Government’s Welcome to School backpack initiative, nor was any selected for the supply of their contents; notes that, according to the Scottish Government's response to question S7W-03632 on 24 September 2026, a manufacturer in China has been selected for the bags while manufacturers in "Europe and Britain" have been selected for the contents; understands with concern that, according to The Borgen Project, child labour remains an illegal, yet persistent, issue in China, affecting children under the legal working age of 16 as well as secondary vocational students forced into labour through school-mandated internships; seeks reassurances from the Scottish Government that no child labour is utilised in the manufacture of these backpacks; considers that the phrase “assembled in Scotland”, as given in the answer to question S7W-03632, might be seen as being misleading, giving the impression of actual manufacture in Scotland; notes with concern the recent article in The Herald to that effect and that, in reality, the bags are only to be filled in Scotland, but welcomes, however, the selection of Edinburgh-based APS Group for the filling and distribution of the bags to schools across Scotland.

That the Parliament recognises J.K. Rowling’s continuing work in defence of the rights and safety of women and girls; notes her recent update to her June 2020 essay, An Update to My Essay of June 2020, setting out the reasons why she and others consider that aspects of trans activism pose risks to women’s sex-based rights and to freedom of speech and belief; further notes that she founded and funds Beira’s Place, the only women-only rape crisis centre in Edinburgh, which provides confidential trauma-informed support to women survivors of sexual violence aged 16 and over across the Lothians; acknowledges the establishment of the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund, which helps women and organisations in the UK and Ireland when they lack the means to pursue or defend legal actions relating to sex-based rights, single-sex spaces, workplace discrimination or the expression of belief that sex is biological and immutable; welcomes the Supreme Court’s ruling in For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers clarifying that sex in the Equality Act 2010 means biological sex; regrets reports that many organisations continue to fail to secure single-sex spaces for women and girls, and condemns what it sees as the promotion of gender ideology in nurseries and schools.

That the Parliament congratulates Lucy Lawson, founding director of Unicorn Markets CIC in Bathgate, on being named High Street Hero for Central Scotland and Lothians West Region in the Scotland Loves Local Awards 2026; understands that in her final year studying business, Lucy was asked to write a business plan for a social enterprise, and embarking on research on what became of the Old Bathgate Market, it became apparent that this event had been an integral part of life in Bathgate; further understands that, rather than just constructing a plan, Lucy decided to bring a market back to Bathgate and it happened in 2023 with Unicorn Markets CIC being formed on 27 February of that year, with Bathgate Market and car boot sale opening on 10 June at the old railway station car park as an initial five-week trial; believes that with around 4,000 visitors reported on the opening day, the successful pilot was extended and grew into a year-round weekly market, which continues to the present day, with free pitches helping charities and community groups to take part; understands that in December 2023, Lucy created and ran the Christmas Street Market as part of Bathgate’s festive light switch-on, which has also returned every year since; acknowledges that in three years, community activity has widened into growing, reuse, repair and learning, all alongside the weekly market; considers that Lucy has also been elected as a 2026 Churchill Fellow to research community-led market models in Germany and the USA, and commends what it sees as her sterling and tireless endeavours with this remarkable initiative and example of creating community cohesion for the benefit of all Bathgate’s residents, charities, independent businesses and many others.

That the Parliament acknowledges Migraine Awareness Week, which is organised by The Migraine Trust and runs from 21 to 27 September 2026; considers that, despite migraine affecting around one in seven people in Scotland, the condition is often misunderstood, downplayed and stigmatised with many reporting that they are not believed when they describe its impact; understands that, as a result, the campaign's theme for 2026 is #BelieveMe, with the goal that people living with migraine are listened to and believed when speaking about the condition; recognises that misconceptions persist, including the belief that migraine is "just a headache"; further recognises that migraine is a serious neurological condition that can cause debilitating pain, visual disturbances and nausea; understands that migraine can also cost people their jobs, their social lives and their independence, and that these challenges can be exacerbated when the condition is not taken seriously, and acknowledges the need for further awareness to be raised about the condition and its potentially debilitating effects.

As an amendment to S7M-01163 in the name of John Swinney (Preventing Violence Against Women for an Equally Safe Scotland), leave out from "recognises" to end and insert, "regrets that private citizens were required to take legal action against the Scottish Government before it was able to define what a woman is; recognises that policy to tackle violence against women and girls has to combine multiple angles, however, believes that tarring all men and boys with the same brush as the few who hold such attitudes and commit violent acts risks creating further division and unfairly attributes harm to those who are not responsible for it; believes that the views that some male immigrants have are incompatible with the Scottish Government's previously expressed desire to tackle misogyny; highlights statistics which, it believes, indicate a connection between immigrants from certain countries and a marked increase in violent crimes, and calls on the Scottish Government to publish statistics on violent crime by immigration status and nationality, in order to ensure that all relevant evidence is available to inform action to bring an end to violence against women and girls."

That the Parliament acknowledges that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the UK, and that Young Lives vs Cancer leads campaigns to highlight the emotional, practical, and financial struggles faced by children and young people aged 0–25 with cancer; notes that the charity works to ensure that families receive specialised social care and free home-from-home accommodations during treatment; understands that around 320 children and young people in Scotland receive the “it’s cancer” news each year and that when that happens, they can often face a system designed for older adults, despite having needs and experiences that are very different; further understands that children and young people can also contract different types of cancer from older adults, which sometimes require more specialist treatment; believes that this can quickly turn their lives upside down and affect their mental health, finances and education in addition to myriad other facets of their lives; commends the sterling work of Young Lives vs Cancer, which is an operating name of CLIC Sargent Cancer Care for Children, as well as many others, including Children and Young People’s Cancer Association, Children With Cancer UK, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Charity and more, and wishes everyone involved all the very best in their ongoing endeavours to ensure the very best outcomes possible for children, young people and everyone affected by cancer.

That the Parliament commends the work of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans at their many facilities across Scotland, including the Linburn Centre, Wilkieston, in the Central Scotland and Lothians West Region and the Hawkhead Centre in Paisley, Renfrewshire, their two activity hubs for veterans with sight loss; understands that, established in 1915 to support servicemen who were blinded in the Second World War, Sight Scotland Veterans helps blind and partially sighted veterans no matter how or when they lost their sight, including those who did national service, to adapt to life with a visual impairment; acknowledges that the services offered by these charities are as diverse as the individuals that they support, recognising that everyone faces different challenges and have individual goals and that this is the reason their teams work with individuals in the way that is right for them; notes that they give support, which ranges from practical advice and identifying solutions that help the service users remain as independent as possible, as well as vital emotional support and opportunities of meeting others facing sight loss; further notes that sight Scotland Veterans can also provide specialist equipment free of charge to aid independence in day-to-day tasks, from talking watches, cooking aids and electronic magnifiers, to digital technology such as smartphones or tablets with specialist software for people with sight loss; acknowledges that the charity’s expert rehabilitation teams offer one-to-one assessments and tailored training for specialist equipment and cane and mobility training; notes that the Linburn Centre will host a free open event on 19 September 2026 as part of the West Lothian Doors Open Days festival; wishes everyone involved all the very best with this event, and congratulates both charities on all their highly magnanimous endeavours.

As an amendment to motion S7M-00810 in the name of Patricia Gibson (Recognising the Importance of Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls), leave out from “; commends the work” to end and insert “, and acknowledges the sterling endeavours of myriad charities across Scotland in this regard.”

That the Parliament acknowledges the importance of keeping dogs and other pets safe during periods of hot weather; notes advice that dog owners should consider walking their pets during the cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or late evening; recognises the importance of ensuring that animals have access to fresh drinking water and adequate shade; highlights the risk of injury from hot pavements and the need to check ground temperatures before exercising dogs; stresses that pets should never be left unattended in vehicles, where temperatures can quickly reach dangerous levels; welcomes the warm weather guidance published by Dogs Trust and other animal welfare organisations; notes that pets may also be vulnerable to sunburn and heatstroke, and encourages pet owners to take appropriate precautions to protect the health and wellbeing of their animals during periods of high temperatures.

That the Parliament echoes the pleas from Scottish Water for residents of West Lothian and all local authorities across Scotland to stay safe and not take risks around watercourses such as reservoirs, rivers, lochs and coastal waters during the summer months; understands that the latest figures issued by the National Water Safety Forum show that there were 39 accidental drownings in Scotland in 2025 and 202 across the UK with most occurring at inland locations such as reservoirs, rivers and lochs or lakes; believes that the call from Scottish Water follows some dangerous and anti-social behaviour by groups of young people at reservoirs across Scotland, including diving from water towers, which are working parts of reservoirs, and a number of accidental drownings in England and Wales during hot weather; considers that deep, cold water is a particular danger at reservoirs and dams, steep banks, spillways, overflow, and that underwater pipework can also present real hazards; believes that inland waters such as reservoirs also remain dangerously cold, even in warm summer weather, and are hazardous for cold water shock, which is an involuntary physiological response when the body is suddenly immersed in cold water and which can lead to rapid gasping, a spike in heart rate, and hyperventilation; notes that this makes it difficult to control breathing or to swim effectively and impacts animals as well as humans; urges parents, guardians and relatives to keep children and pets safe, and asks everyone to act responsibly around reservoirs and other watercourses.