Chamber and committees

As an amendment to motion S7M-01022 in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville (Eradicating Child Poverty, the Scottish Government’s Defining Mission), leave out from "supports” to end and insert “regrets that, while eradicating child poverty has been a defining mission for the Scottish Government for nearly a decade, too many children remain trapped in poverty, record numbers are living in temporary accommodation and key anti-poverty measures have not been delivered; reaffirms the commitment to meet the targets set out in the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017; believes that a new approach is clearly needed with a focus on both delivery and tackling the root causes of poverty; further believes that tackling child poverty requires action across housing, homelessness, childcare, employment and family support as well as finally closing the attainment gap, and believes that if ministers are serious about delivery, they should engage in cross-party working to achieve the statutory targets and improve outcomes for children and families across Scotland."

That the Parliament acknowledges the work of Action on Asbestos, formerly known as Clydeside Action on Asbestos, for supporting patients with asbestos-related conditions across Scotland; welcomes its sponsorship of a new network of pleural nurses to assist NHS services; notes that, to date, three new nurses have joined the network, including one in Forth Valley and two in Edinburgh; further notes that two additional nurses based in Inverclyde and Ayrshire are ready to join; recognises that the network was launched on 27 February 2026 at the offices of Action on Asbestos; understands that consultant physicians across NHS Scotland have welcomed the additional support that these nurses will provide to patients, and commends Action on Asbestos for what it sees as its continuing commitment to supporting patients, families and NHS services.

That the Parliament congratulates the work and future ambitions of Forth Valley Trades Unions in the Community (FVTUIC), which is a volunteer-led organisation focused on promoting community cohesion, strengthening links between local residents and the trade union movement and making trade unions more accessible to those not in traditional workplaces; recognises that the organisation provides guidance on work-related matters, signposts to appropriate trade unions, supports organisations, and also signposts residents to other organisations to assist with a wider range of issues such as debt, housing, addiction and disability; further recognises that FVTUIC aims to continue developing this resource through collaborative working with Falkirk Council, Clackmannanshire Council and Stirling Council, alongside housing associations and advocacy organisations; understands that FVTUIC, which is funded by supportive organisations including individual trade union branches, the Falkirk Trades Union Council (FTUC) and the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), has established a community hub in Falkirk, with ambitions to create additional hubs in other areas, and commends the organisation for its commitment to building strong relationships with local campaigning groups, voluntary and charitable organisations, and for strengthening the connection between the trade union movement and communities across the Forth Valley area.

That the Parliament congratulates Luisa Campbell on her appointment as General Secretary of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland; applauds the decision by the Bishops' Conference in appointing Ms Campbell, who is the first member of the lay faithful and first woman to undertake the role of general secretary; understands that Ms Campbell will take up the post from February 2026 when the current general secretary, Secretary Father Gerry Maguiness, will step down after serving two terms in his role; commends Ms Campbell on her long-term commitment to the Church in Scotland while working at a senior level in business administration for four decades, two of which she spent leading a Scottish business as chief executive, being actively involved in the Church through youth work, parish administration, liturgy, evangelisation, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and finance at both parish and diocesan level; notes that she has since realised her ambition post-retirement to deepen this commitment, and wishes Ms Campbell well in her appointment.

As an amendment to motion S6M-19252 in the name of Russell Findlay (Stopping Illegal Immigration and Recognising its Impact on Housing), leave out from "because" to end and insert “; regrets that the previous UK Conservative administration left the immigration system in a state of collapse; recognises the progress made by the UK Labour administration to clear the backlog of asylum claims, and believes that the failure to tackle the challenges facing Scotland’s local authorities, public services and housing system, for which the Scottish Government has devolved responsibility and has received record levels of funding from the UK Government, is the root cause of the housing emergency.”

That the Parliament congratulates Our Lady of Good Aid and Cathedral Primary School, Motherwell, on what it sees as a fantastic HMI report; applauds the continuous efforts of the school, which resulted in it being rated excellent in three key areas of leadership of change, learning teaching and assessment, and ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion, and very good in raising attainment, by Education Scotland; notes that the rating places the primary school among Scotland’s top schools; understands that the report commended the outstanding leadership of the school, the contribution of all staff in providing a high-quality environment for progressive learning focused on achieving the best outcomes for children, and praised the children for their articulation, engagement and motivation in taking part in a range of learning experiences across the curriculum; recognises the school-wide efforts in ensuring a positive culture for learning and in closing attainment gaps through targeted additional support; understands that the report comes as the school and parish celebrates its 150th anniversary of education in the community, and wishes the whole school community well in continuing to strive for good education and outcomes for children in Motherwell.

As an amendment to motion S6M-18780 in the name of Craig Hoy (Impact of Accommodating Asylum Seekers on Scottish Local Government), leave out from “acknowledges” to end and insert “regrets that the previous UK Conservative administration left the asylum system in a state of collapse; recognises the progress made by the UK Labour administration to clear the backlog of asylum claims, and believes that the failure to tackle the challenges facing Scotland’s local authorities, public services and housing system, for which the Scottish Government has devolved responsibility and has received record levels of funding from the UK Labour administration, is the root cause of the housing emergency.”

That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the significant contribution of the neurodevelopmental family support service that is delivered by North Lanarkshire Carers Together and is supported through investment from North Lanarkshire Council's Education and Families department; notes that the service provides dedicated support to families of children and young people with neurodevelopmental needs across North Lanarkshire, including those with autism, ADHD and other related conditions; acknowledges that over 140 referrals were received during the most recent reporting period, with demand continuing to grow; welcomes the service’s whole family approach, which is delivered through partnership working and direct engagement with carers, children and young people; commends the service’s flexible and responsive delivery model, which includes group support, one-to-one sessions, liaison with schools and professionals and signposting to specialist services; notes what it sees as the service’s excellent reputation among families and professionals and the high value placed on its compassionate and non-judgemental approach; congratulates North Lanarkshire Carers Together on the impact of the neurodevelopmental family support service and its efforts to expand support through collaboration and further investment, and wishes the team continued success in strengthening outcomes for neurodivergent children and their families.

That the Parliament recognises the ongoing work of Shared Parenting Scotland, which is a leading national charity supporting separated parents when raising children; acknowledges the development and delivery of its New Ways for Families programme, which focuses on helping parents acquire the skills of emotion management, flexible thinking and behaviour moderation in the interests of reducing conflict and making child-centred decisions; notes the contribution of its Love, Loss and Living programme, which offers further support to parents dealing with separation and the emotional impact of disrupted family life; welcomes the charity’s specific outreach to veterans and serving military personnel in recent years, including in the Central Scotland region, offering free opportunities for participation in these programmes as part of its post-service, or family, support; understands that separation, child contact, and shared parenting arrangements are often significant and recurring issues affecting people who serve or have served in the armed forces; considers that the charity’s work contributes to fulfilling Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which upholds the child’s right to maintain contact with both parents, where this is in their best interests, and commends Shared Parenting Scotland for expanding its reach to meet the complex needs of separated families, including those with military backgrounds, with programmes that prioritise children’s wellbeing and the value of cooperative parenting across households.