Chamber and committees

That the Parliament agrees—

(a) the following programme of business—

Friday 13 March 2026

9.30 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions

9.30 am Stage 3 Proceedings: Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time 

(b) that, for the purposes of consideration of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, on 13 March 2026, Rule 2.2.3 of Standing Orders be varied to replace "09:30 and 12:30” with "from 09:30”.

That the Parliament congratulates Larbert’s Police Dog (PD) Mac and his handler, Constable Andrew Inglis, on the recognition they received at Crufts on 8 March 2026 in Birmingham, being awarded Police Dog Action of the Year; recognises that PD Mac and Andrew were awarded this recognition after finding a high-risk missing man who had been unlocatable for 17 days in 2025; notes that in fear for this vulnerable individual’s safety, a victim detection dog was requested with cocker spaniel PD Mac and Andrew responding; further notes this was an extensive search covering over 30km of difficult terrain before the man was located in poor condition but alive; welcomes this recognition of the critical work police dogs and their handlers carry out, and congratulates Constable Inglis and PD Mac on their recent award for their efforts.

That the Parliament congratulates Whitburn Band on being crowned the 2026 Scottish Brass Band Champion; celebrates its long history representing West Lothian at the highest level of brass band competitions; celebrates its upcoming participation in the 2026 European championship; pays tribute to its continued representation of the Lothians and Scotland on the international stage, and wishes Whitburn Band further success in its competitive pursuits and in securing attendance to the 2027 European championships.

That the Parliament congratulates Tom Wilson, Honorary President and Trustee of the 21st Ayrshire Scout Group in Kilmarnock, on almost seven decades of exceptional service to Scouting; notes that Tom first joined the Group 69 years ago as a Cub Scout and progressed through the movement as a Scout and Venture Scout before becoming an adult volunteer; recognises his significant leadership contributions in roles including Group Scout Leader and Group Chairman, as well as his dedication in leading and hosting national and international camps and visits for young people; acknowledges Tom’s continued commitment to Scouting and the wider community through his ongoing work as a Trustee of the Group; notes that, in 2000, Tom founded the Group’s annual Sports Dinner, which has become a major fundraising event for the organisation, running every year except for a single postponement during the COVID-19 pandemic; celebrates the upcoming 25th Sports Dinner, to be held on 13 March 2026, which will mark a major milestone for the Group; commends Tom on raising an outstanding £85,500 through this initiative to date, and wishes him, the volunteers and the young people of the 21st Ayrshire Scout Group continued success in the years ahead.

That the Parliament recognises and celebrates what it sees as the enduring contribution of the Irish community to the social, cultural and economic life of Coatbridge; notes that Irish migration to the town dates back to the early 19th century, when many Irish workers came to Lanarkshire to work in the mines and ironworks during the rapid industrial expansion of the region; acknowledges that the 1851 census recorded that approximately 35.8% of the population of Coatbridge was Irish-born, representing one of the highest proportions of Irish residents in any town in Scotland; believes that the descendants of these immigrants have shaped the identity of the town through their work, family life, faith, cultural traditions and community institutions; recognises the historic presence of Irish cultural organisations in Coatbridge, including Gaelic sporting clubs and community groups established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; celebrates the ongoing vitality of Irish heritage in the town through events, education and cultural activities; commends the people of Coatbridge for continuing to honour and share the rich legacy of Irish migration, which has played a significant role in the development of both the town and Scotland more widely; congratulates the organisers, volunteers and supporters of the Coatbridge St Patrick’s Festival 2026 on delivering what it sees as another successful programme celebrating the town’s Irish heritage; recognises that the festival, now proudly established for 23 years, reflects Coatbridge’s significant Irish diaspora while bringing together the wider community in celebration of culture, music and friendship; notes the wide-ranging programme of events taking place throughout the festival week, including Irish and Father Ted quizzes, community fundraisers, genealogy presentations delivered in partnership with North Lanarkshire Libraries, traditional Irish music through Comhaltas, and sporting events such as the Primary Schools Gaelic Football Challenge Match at St Ambrose Gaelic Football Park; recognises the importance of events such as the Soccer Challenge Match between Milan and Burnbank in promoting youth participation and community spirit; welcomes the festival’s grand finale, the Family Street Party, which is scheduled to take place on the town’s Main Street on 14 March 2026; understands that this will feature live music and performances on the main stage, youth activities, traditional Irish and modern dance, primary school choirs, street entertainment and family attractions; acknowledges the positive impact that it believes the festival has on the town by increasing footfall, supporting businesses and strengthening community pride, and thanks everyone involved for their commitment, dedication and hard work in ensuring that this much-loved celebration of Irish culture continues to thrive for future generations.

That the Parliament notes the establishment of the Dundee campaign to revoke the charity status of KKL (Scotland); understands that the purpose of the campaign is to address local concerns relating to the charitable status of the Jewish National Fund (JNF)/Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL) (Scotland) and to complement the ongoing national campaign led by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Committee; understands that concerns relate to the veracity of the JNF/KKL’s environmental activity, the reported reality of its relationship to the expulsion of Palestinians through forcible land acquisition, and the reported use of greenwash by it to justify ethnic cleansing; notes that engagement with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, based in Dundee, will be the focus of the campaign; understands that a similar campaign in Canada to revoke its tax-exempt status has been successful, and wishes the campaign to revoke the charity status of KKL (Scotland) success in its activities.

That the Parliament calls on the Scottish Government and local authorities in Scotland to consider taking lessons from Copenhagen’s urban floating islands; understands that the islands, installed in the harbour as part of the “parkipelago” project to introduce wilderness and whimsy to the centre of Copenhagen, provide space for endemic plants, trees and grasses above and anchor points below providing a habitat for birds, insects, seaweeds, fish and molluscs; further understands that the islands offer a constantly changing, generous green space in the centre of the city, with some designed for swimming or kayaking stops, and others for picnics or small cultural events; believes that similar projects could help reintroduce wilderness to urban areas in Scotland, giving people more green space options, and hopes that this can happen in Scotland someday soon.

That the Parliament recognises Noah’s Ark Milngavie for the coffee morning it held at St Paul’s Church in order to raise funds for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity; congratulates the group for raising £1,500 for such a worthwhile cause; understands that this was raised from ticket sales, a cake stall and a contribution from Noah’s Ark funds; celebrates what it sees as the great response from the congregation, mums, dads and grandparents who all supported the fundraiser; wishes the group all the best for the future, and thanks them for supporting such an excellent charity.

That the Parliament warmly congratulates John and Sheena Thomson on their recent award from NHS Ayrshire and Arran; understands that NHS Ayrshire and Arran Nursing Director’s Award recognises staff, volunteers and partners who demonstrate exceptional compassion, dedication and care in their work; notes that John and Sheena have volunteered within the cardiac unit at NHS Ayrshire and Arran for the past 30 years and were inspired to do so following John’s life altering cardiac event, when they received expert support from the staff at the unit; further notes that John and Sheena established the Killie Heartmates rehab and exercise group with the support of NHS Ayrshire and Arran Cardiac Unit to support those who desired to continue with cardiac physiotherapy after discharge from statutory services; recognises that the group now welcomes anyone of any age or with health condition to their weekly classes and social get-togethers, which support both mental and physical health; commends John and Sheena for their outstanding dedication to the community which has made a marked, positive impact on the wider Ayrshire community, and wishes them all the best in the future.

That the Parliament notes the formal 10-day notice by Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) issued on 6 March 2026 of its intention to call members to take industrial action over workload; understands that the result of the statutory ballot of EIS members, including members in the North East Scotland region, shows 85% in favour of industrial action and 93% in favour of action short of strike; recognises the progress in negotiations made by the EIS to date, but notes its disappointment that an agreement has not yet been reached; expresses its solidarity to all teachers and EIS members in the North East Scotland region and across Scotland, and calls on the Scottish Government and COSLA to urgently work collaboratively to reach a firm and binding commitment, which, it believes, will deliver promised improvements to teacher workload, conditions and jobs.