Chamber and committees

That the Parliament recognises the efforts of the participants and organisers of the Helensburgh and Lomond Kiltwalk 2025, which saw 19,000 walkers raise millions of pounds for over 1,100 Scottish charities and create the world's biggest ever Kiltwalk; acknowledges the significance of the event, particularly in Helensburgh, where local residents walked for causes like Beatson Cancer Charity; commends the dedication of Helensburgh-based organisations like Jean's Bothy and Lomond Radio in supporting mental health and wellbeing; notes the participation of public figures, further highlighting the event's importance and reach, and wishes continued success for future Kiltwalk events in Helensburgh, benefiting local charities and fostering community spirit.

That the Parliament celebrates the success of the artist, Becky Sikasa, on winning the title of Scottish Act of the Year 2025 in the BBC Introducing Awards; understands that Becky has made Scotland her home since moving from Germany in 2012, and that she lives in Glasgow after studying music at Edinburgh Napier University, and has been impressing audiences in her adoptive home of Scotland, and internationally; notes that her music combines her vocals and her keyboard, guitar and violin skills; recognises that the prize includes professional recording sessions with BBC Radio Scotland and a coveted slot at TRNSMT, Scotland’s biggest music festival; congratulates everyone involved in what was a competitive final with a very high standard set by all involved; further congratulates Becky on her achievement, and wishes her well in her music career.

That the Parliament welcomes recent Sustrans research, funded by Transport Scotland, into the experience of diverse groups of people in relation to active travel and the barriers they face; notes that, according to the research, neurodivergent people face barriers, including transport poverty, exclusion from decision-making processes, difficulties with journey planning with inconsistent systems, and the overwhelming sensory load of busy travel spaces; further notes that the research has identified that LGBTQ+ people experience fears over personal safety; believes that including diverse voices in street and infrastructure design, and providing secure, low-cost, secure cycle storage would reduce the barriers to active travel, and calls on the Scottish Government to commit to continued investment in making active travel journey planning easy to understand and consistent, as well as the provision of wider, more even footpaths, safer cycling infrastructure, including on routes to schools, and specific support for learning to cycle.

That the Parliament recognises the efforts of young dancers from April's Street Feet in Dalmuir, Clydebank, who travelled 5,000 miles to Los Angeles to perform on iconic stages; notes the significance of this trip, which provided 40 youngsters with the opportunity to participate in workshops and performances at renowned venues such as Millennium Dance Studios and Hollywood Boulevard; commends the dedication and hard work of the dancers, who have already achieved success in Worlds, British and Scottish competitions; appreciates the leadership of April McLafferty, founder of the dance school; recognises the support from the local community and the fundraising efforts that made this journey possible; acknowledges the importance of such opportunities in inspiring and empowering young people from Clydebank and surrounding areas, and wishes continued success for April's Street Feet in its future endeavours, both locally and internationally.

That the Parliament congratulates P5 pupils at Southesk Primary School in Montrose as they are crowned Sumdog Angus Champions; understands that Sumdog is an online learning resource, which captivates children and empowers teachers through interactive maths games and personalised learning experiences, with its curriculum-aligned content used as a valuable tool in supporting classroom learning and boosting children’s confidence; notes that the Sumdog competition is designed to promote teamwork, creativity and a deeper understanding of core maths skills, delivered in a fun way with children engaging in a series of interactive challenges to test their knowledge and problem-solving abilities; applauds the pupils in Southesk Primary School’s P5 class who stood out in the competition with their exceptional performance, securing the title and the coveted Sumdog trophy, and congratulates the pupils and staff as they celebrate their Sumdog victory.

That the Parliament welcomes the announcement of The Nook, Scotland’s first ever network of walk-in mental health support hubs, by Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH); believes that community and preventative support is essential to Scotland’s mental wellbeing; commends the initiative for its intention to provide barrier-free access to mental health support, with no need to book an appointment, no need for referrals, and no waiting lists; understands that the SAMH HQ in Glasgow’s city centre will be transformed into the first Nook, opening in Autumn 2025, with further Nooks planned for Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverclyde and Lanarkshire; further understands that SAMH is welcoming support from the public to help make this transformational approach a reality, and wishes SAMH well with its plans to ensure that people with mental health problems are able to ask once and get help fast. 

That the Parliament congratulates Kilmarnock Football Club’s Under-18 team on winning the Scottish Youth Cup Final at Hampden Park, defeating an excellent Dundee team 2-0, with goals from Duncan Barlow and Reuben Cooper; notes that Killie scored 27 goals in the tournament, including an 11-0 victory against Deveronvale; congratulates Chris Burke and the staff on their professionalism and dedication to the squad; congratulates the young Killie squad of Brown, Burgess, Bowie, Spence, Barlow, Traynor, Brannan, Cooper, Allan, Marchant, Burke, Mullen, Gilmour, Davis, Eaglesham, Law, Duruh and McKeown for their efforts, and wishes all the boys from both clubs every success in their future football careers.

That the Parliament commends the Fraserburgh Harbour Masterplan; believes that it has the potential to create sustainable economic growth through diversifying the harbour business model to incorporate floating offshore wind, increased vessel repair and maintenance business, and by attracting more commercial cruise opportunities; recognises the opportunity for Fraserburgh’s supply chain to apply existing skills to the renewables sector; believes that suitable port and harbour facilities, which support the operations and maintenance phase of offshore wind will be essential; acknowledges the new long-term employment that the masterplan could provide, including for school leavers and graduates; believes that Fraserburgh’s foundational fishing industry will be safeguarded; understands that the project’s dry dock will allow Scotland to once again undertake work in repair and maintenance for pelagic fishing vessels, contributing to economic growth, and believes that the masterplan is a transformative development for Fraserburgh and the surrounding areas, and will help the Harbour to thrive for decades to come.

That the Parliament congratulates the recipients of the 2025 North Star Business Awards; commends JCE Energy, based in Blackburn, on winning the Inspiration for Innovation award; congratulates States Group, based in Kintore, on receiving the Going Global award; applauds The Fife Arms, in Ballater, for obtaining the Staff Matters award; celebrates the Russell Anderson Foundation, from Westhill, in achieving the Inspiring Futures award; recognises what it sees as the positive impact that these businesses have had on the north east economy; acknowledges their roles in driving international growth, fostering innovation, cultivating supportive work environments, and serving as a source of inspiration; commends these businesses, and wishes them the best as they continue their work to supply high-quality goods and services.

That the Parliament notes the reported impact on local residents of the recent illegal traveller encampment on the grassland by Drumbrae leisure centre; believes that legislative changes in England may have caused an increase of traveller encampments in Scotland, and congratulates Scottish local authorities that are doing more to accommodate increased traveller activity through the introduction of transit halting sites in appropriate locations, and notes their reported efforts to involve local communities in designing long-term solutions commensurate with the protections afforded to Gypsy Travellers under the terms of the Equality Act 2010.