Chamber and committees

That the Parliament recognises 26 July as Bog Day 2026; notes that the day is marked internationally to celebrate bogs, fens, marshes and other peatlands and to raise awareness of the benefits that these ecosystems provide, the threats they face and the actions needed to protect and restore them; acknowledges that Scotland is home to peatlands of global significance, including internationally important blanket bogs; understands that healthy peatlands support biodiversity, store carbon, improve water quality, help regulate water flows and contribute to climate resilience; welcomes the efforts of communities, land managers, researchers, environmental organisations and volunteers working to conserve and restore peatlands across Scotland; notes the opportunity that Bog Day provides to engage people of all ages in learning about the importance of peatlands and their role in responding to the climate and nature crises; encourages participation in events and activities organised as part of the #InternationalBogDay campaign, and commends all working to conserve, restore and enhance Scotland’s bogs and peatlands for the benefit of current and future generations.

As an amendment to motion S7M-00446 in the name of Malcolm Offord (Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031), leave out from first "recognises" to end and insert "; further believes that Scottish Government policy should work for every region of Scotland, with adequate public transport links, infrastructure and housing to meet the needs of communities and both traditional and emerging sectors of the economy; recognises the need for a dynamic and skilled workforce, as well as significant and targeted investment in Scotland’s world-class colleges and universities; further recognises that skilled inward migration is vital to sustaining key sectors of the economy; understands that the crisis in the NHS will only be addressed when considered alongside the crisis in the social care sector, and that migration is a key aspect of addressing those challenges; believes that Scotland has a proud history of offering safe harbour to refugees from across the world, and resolves to strive for a Scotland that protects the rights and interests of all, regardless of who they are or where they come from."

That the Parliament congratulates the Albert Tavern in Freuchie for being chosen as the Scottish Cider Pub of the Year 2026 by the Scottish Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA Scotland); understands that the pub also won the Fife-wide Cider Pub of the Year Award earlier this year; notes that CAMRA Scotland has described the Albert Tavern as "one of Scotland’s standout community pubs"; recognises the hard work of the pub’s staff and its contribution to the local community, and wishes the pub and its staff well for the official presentation of the award on 20 June.

As an amendment to motion S7M-00367 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Affordable Bus Fares), insert at end "; acknowledges that passenger journeys on local buses have declined in the last 10 years; believes that the delay in implementing and providing guidance relating to the provisions in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 on bus franchising has impacted on local authorities and their ability to provide accessible and reliable bus routes for their communities; notes that some areas have experienced a reduction in bus routes, and calls on the Scottish Government to take swift action to ensure that communities across Scotland are not left behind due to a lack of the public transport they need.”

That the Parliament notes the screenings of The People’s Emergency Briefing, which are being held across Scotland, which set out what it believes are the escalating risks posed by climate change and nature loss; further notes the expert evidence presented, which suggests that the UK faces intensifying weather extremes, with up to one in four properties at risk of flooding by 2050 and increasing heatwaves and wildfires; believes that current global trajectories risk 3 to 4°C of warming, threatening systemic societal disruption and exceeding the UK’s fair share of the remaining carbon budget within years; understands with concern that the UK ranks among the lowest globally for biodiversity, with significant declines in wildlife and ecosystem health; acknowledges warnings that food security, public health and national security are increasingly compromised by climate-related impacts, including supply shocks, economic instability and heightened global tensions; notes what it sees as the substantial economic costs of inaction, compared with the benefits of rapid transition to a low-carbon economy; calls on the UK Government to screen a prime-time televised showing of the film across all the main television channels, delivered by independent experts and supported by the UK’s Chief Scientific Adviser, setting out the reported nature and scale of the climate and nature threats facing the UK and why these threats matter to people’s lives and livelihoods, and calls for the UK and Scottish governments to urgently deliver the necessary legislation, investment and public engagement that is commensurate with the scale and urgency of the crisis.

As an amendment to motion S7M-00249 in the name of Jenny Gilruth (Wealth Taxation for Public Services), leave out from “welcomes” to end and insert “notes that fair taxation must recognise the current cost of living crisis and the impact that any tax increases can have on individuals and businesses; believes that the Scottish Government must prioritise getting Scotland’s finances in order, in light of warnings by the Institute of Fiscal Studies that it faces a 'fiscal reckoning'; considers that taxpayers in Scotland deserve value for money as well as confidence that their taxes are being spent wisely, and believes that the trust that taxpayers should have in a government to spend wisely has been lost over the last 19 years of an SNP administration.”

As an amendment to motion S7M-00128 in the name of Màiri McAllan (Expanding Childcare), leave out from "and supports" to end and insert “but notes that parents must be provided with the choice that they were promised as part of the rollout of 1,140 hours of funded childcare by introducing fairer rates for private, voluntary and independent providers to cover the actual costs of delivering high-quality early learning and childcare (ELC); believes that working families need to be prioritised in any extension of ELC funding, starting with shifting the 1,140 funded hours to start on a child’s third birthday, thus treating this as a critical part of our economic infrastructure that would help parents return to work, close the gender pay gap and raise additional tax revenues; calls for local authorities to be brought together to strike a partnership agreement that ensures parents who live in one council area but work in another have choice on where their child attends nursery, thus guaranteeing that funding really does follow the child; considers that childcare options in remote and rural areas can be more limited; therefore believes that there needs to be a new support package for childminders in these areas, and calls on the Scottish Government to make sure that there is no postcode lottery for childcare in Scotland.”

That the Parliament congratulates businesses across North East Fife that received 2026 Best Bar None awards, including the Jigger Inn, which achieved a platinum award, the Cross Keys in Cupar, the Whey Pat Tavern, Hams Hame Bar & Grill, the West Port Bar, the Road Hole Restaurant, the Greyfriars Inn and the Springfield Tavern, which all achieved gold awards, and the University of St Andrews Students Association, which achieved a silver award, and notes the work of Best Bar None Scotland in providing support and training to licensed premises, supporting improved standards and sustainability, promoting social responsibility and recognising success.

That the Parliament notes that since 2016, the Scottish Government's key commitments and targets on education have either been missed or abandoned; further notes that these include free laptops for all pupils, free school meals for all pupils up to P7, 3,500 more teachers, reduced class contact time for teachers and the closing of the poverty-related educational attainment gap by 2026; believes that abandoning or missing these important targets and commitments has had a real impact on pupils, teachers and parents; further believes that the Scottish Government has let Scottish education down with rising levels of classroom violence, a lack of additional support for pupils and record numbers of recently qualified teachers leaving the profession; notes that teachers are once again considering industrial action, and asserts that Scotland and Scottish education deserve better.

That the Parliament notes with great sadness the death of Andrew Arbuckle MBE, former Scottish Liberal Democrats MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, who passed away peacefully on Christmas Day at the age of 81; understands that a memorial service will be held in St Andrews on 25 February 2026 to celebrate his life; recognises his long and distinguished career as a journalist, including four decades covering agriculture for The Courier and, later, The Scotsman, and for his service as a Fife councillor and MSP, where he was respected for his dedication to his constituents and his work on rural and community issues; honours his tireless contributions to the farming community, his fundraising efforts for the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI), which raised more than £100,000, and his broader service to the community of Fife, for which he was appointed an MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours; acknowledges his wider civic engagement, including his leadership roles in local sports, community trusts and charitable initiatives, which enriched community life and secured lasting infrastructure and recreational facilities; extends heartfelt condolences to his family and friends, and expresses deep sympathy to all who mourn his passing, while celebrating a life of remarkable service, humour and generosity.