Chamber and committees

That the Parliament recognises a special duty to ensure the long-term sustainability of Scotland’s remote, rural and island communities; notes the view that addressing the needs of these communities requires policy that recognises and accommodates the particular circumstances of the Highlands and Islands region and other parts of remote, rural and island Scotland; acknowledges the challenges of delivering public services such as education, transport, local health and social care, policing and justice to areas with lower population density; believes that a range of local public services have been centralised or downgraded and no longer have a visible presence in many remote and rural communities; considers that the rural economy and rural businesses have faced unprecedented challenges in recent years with the farming and fishing sectors under real pressure and uncertainty, increased regulation impacting the visitor economy, and high streets and town centres struggling; believes that access to housing and affordable accommodation has become increasingly difficult in these communities, particularly for young people; recognises what it sees as the vital importance of connectivity to the prosperity of these communities, including preserving and expanding travel links by road, rail, sea and air and the need to plan for the future investment needs of essential infrastructure, and notes the view that building strong communities in all parts of Scotland will require a greater focus and consideration from across Scotland’s public bodies.

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.

That the Parliament congratulates four-year-old Gregor Corse, from Orkney, on raising £3,450 in his first day of doing "loops o the hoose" for 30 days in aid of Inclusive Orkney; understands that Gregor was born with a neurological condition that affects his balance and motor skills, and that in the last six months he has learned to walk short distances independently, demonstrating his incredible strength and determination; notes that Gregor and his mum, Iona, were inspired to give back to Inclusive Orkney, a local charity that provides activities and services for children with additional support needs and their families, to show appreciation for the many events and opportunities he has been able to attend through the organisation's efforts; understands that to fundraise for Inclusive Orkney, Gregor has challenged himself to walk 30 loops around his house for 30 days without his walker, starting on 16 February 2026, adding that if he needs his walker "then that's ok too"; applauds Gregor for his fantastic efforts on behalf of such an important local cause, and wishes him the best of luck as he undertakes this challenge over the next 28 days.

That the Parliament congratulates Firrhill High School on winning the final of the Construction and Built Environment Challenge (CABEC), which was held at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on 5 February 2026; understands that the final featured 10 schools with 10 interactive challenge stations, created and delivered by a collective of schools, colleges, universities and training providers for pupils to take part in practical, theoretical and team-based activities reflecting real-world scenarios and the STEM skills used daily across the built environment; notes that CABEC, which is run by the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026 and has a long and proud history of inspiring Scotland’s next generation of construction and built environment talent through this competition, and wishes the members of the team from Firrhill High School continued success in their learning journeys.

That the Parliament congratulates Pawsitively Purrfect Pet Services, based in Port Glasgow, on being named Best Pet Services Business – West of Scotland 2026/27 at the Scotland Prestige Awards; understands that this marks the fourth consecutive year the business has received this honour; believes that this award reflects the dedication, skill and commitment of the staff, and notes that they have been invited to attend the awards ceremony in October 2026 where they will receive special recognition as multiple-year winners; recognises that the business is run by animal welfare campaigner, Christina O’Donnell, who established the company in 2007, and commends Christina and her team for their continued success, commitment to high quality pet care, and positive contribution to the local community in Inverclyde. 

That the Parliament welcomes the new national analysis from Marie Curie, Unmet Need for Palliative Care in Scotland; understands that this research uses a new methodology developed through the DUECare Project, involving King’s College London, Hull York Medical School, and the University of Edinburgh; believes that the findings provide a more accurate baseline for the country, showing that almost one in three people in Scotland die with unmet palliative care needs; understands that according to this research, "unmet palliative care need" is measured as a person with life-limiting illness experiencing significant unaddressed symptoms or concerns alongside inadequate access to GP services; considers the report’s findings that approximately 18,500 people in Scotland die each year without the support they require; believes that Scotland faces a widening gap between the care people need at the end of life and what the current system provides; considers that to bridge this gap, palliative care must be established as a right that can be realised, and notes the call that the next Scottish Government must commit to and legislate to deliver a Right to Palliative Care to ensure equitable, person centred support for all, and to drive sustainable resourcing of palliative care and incentivise investment in community care.

That the Parliament recognises the National Lottery Heritage Fund award of £2,518,134 to South Ayrshire Council for the Girvan’s Story project; understands that this project responds to the complex challenges facing Girvan town centre by placing heritage-led regeneration at the heart of the town’s renewal; believes that a programme of activities, training, and community engagement will ensure local people are central to shaping, benefiting from, and sustaining the town’s renewal; considers that bringing vacant and underused buildings back into productive use and enhancing the appearance and functionality of the town centre will stimulate economic activity, and wishes the project every success.

That the Parliament congratulates North Lanarkshire Council on securing £1,450,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the project, Rediscovering Airdrie; recognises that this significant award will support the heritage-led regeneration of Airdrie town centre, centred on the transformation of Airdrie Library, Scotland's first library established under the Public Libraries Act 1850 and home to Airdrie Observatory, one of only four public observatories currently operating in the UK; notes that the redevelopment will create a modern, accessible, cultural hub and new children's library within the town centre; welcomes the provision of grants for the repair and conservation of historic buildings and a shopfront improvement scheme to restore and celebrate original architectural features; welcomes the programme of community heritage activities, including apprenticeship opportunities, a creative youth strand, walking tours, markets for local artists and makers, and an oral history project capturing local voices; acknowledges the role of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which, since 1994 has invested over £1 billion in Scotland's heritage, including over £43 million across 234 projects in Central Scotland, and commends all those involved for supporting regeneration, community pride and cultural opportunity in Airdrie.

That the Parliament celebrates 10 years of the Freedom of Mind Community Choir, which is based in Camelon Parish Church in Falkirk; understands that the choir is made up of people from Falkirk and the surrounding communities across the district who come together with the aim to have fun through group singing and music, support each other and improve members’ physical and mental wellbeing; notes that it also helps to deal with social isolation and loneliness, improve and increase self-confidence and performs at community events across the Falkirk area and beyond to share the joy of music, performing and entertaining with others; acknowledges that the choir operates on a pay-what-you-can-afford basis and hosts fundraising concerts to help make that possible; notes that, at its recent Christmas concert, the choir raised over £1,000 to support its aims and provide accessible transport for members of the choir to attend; congratulates everyone involved with the Freedom of Mind Community Choir, and wishes them the very best for the future.

That the Parliament welcomes the publication of the Social Action Inquiry Scotland’s Policy Library, an innovative offering to Scotland’s political parties ahead of the Scottish election in May 2026; understands that Social Action Inquiry Scotland brought together people from diverse communities across Scotland to discuss Scotland’s future and to examine “what helps and what hinders social action”; notes that the social activism of these groups focuses on the different social, economic and cultural needs of the local population; believes that Scotland is rich in social action, from neighbours looking out for each other, to local groups running essential services and campaign groups working nationally and internationally, but that too often this happens in spite of the system, not because of it; understands that the launch of the library comes at a time when it considers that public services are being cut, budgets reduced, inequality is rising, the cost of living soaring and life expectancy falling; welcomes the extensive community-led Inquiry conducted by these communities and the innovative library of policies that cover a broad range of social justice issues, and urges the political parties and candidates standing for election to adopt the library’s policies, which, it understands, are aimed at unlocking Scotland’s potential to become a more compassionate country.