Chamber and committees

That the Parliament recognises that 9 December 2025 is the 70th anniversary of the designation of Cumbernauld as Scotland’s third new town under the terms of the New Towns Act 1946, having been identified as a suitable location in the Clyde Valley Regional Plan; understands that this is a significant moment in the history of the town; recognises that the area designated included the existing villages of Cumbernauld and Condorrat, with the first part of the new town to be built being in the Kildrum area of the town to provide accommodation for workers at the nearby Burroughs factory; recalls that the inaugural ceremony for the new town was in June 1957, where the sod was cut at Kildrum Farm; appreciates the great sense of community that exists in Cumbernauld through its wide range of organisations and bodies that do great work to promote the town and support its residents; thanks all those who are involved in promoting the 70th anniversary, and wishes all those who live and work in Cumbernauld the best for the occasion and the future.

That the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the UEFA European Championship (Scotland) Bill.

That the Parliament expresses its serious concern about the reports of ongoing genocides and mass atrocities being committed in Palestine, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo; further expresses its horror at reports that, in Sudan’s Darfur region, satellite imagery has revealed clusters of human bodies and blood-stained earth visible from space, following mass killings by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher, where over 2,000 civilians were reportedly executed in hospitals, mosques and homes in under 72 hours; condemns what it sees as the systematic extermination and ethnic cleansing of indigenous non-Arab communities in Darfur, the silent genocide unfolding in eastern Congo, and the ongoing siege, starvation and bombardment of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank; acknowledges what it considers is the growing body of evidence from humanitarian organisations, researchers and survivors that these atrocities constitute crimes against humanity and genocide; calls on the UK Government to immediately impose targeted sanctions, arms embargoes and divestment measures against all state and non-state actors complicit in any such crimes; urges the UK Government to join international legal proceedings at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, including South Africa’s genocide case against Israel; affirms Scotland’s commitment to upholding human rights, international law and the dignity of all peoples; declares that silence in the face of genocide is complicity, and expresses its greatest sympathies for all citizens affected by these devastating humanitarian crises.

That the Parliament welcomes the naming of one of Amey’s gritters as Den-Ice Law, after the late footballing legend, Denis Law, who was born in the Printfield area of Aberdeen; understands that Den-Ice Law will help lead the battle against wintry weather in the north east of Scotland; believes that Amey’s winter service team, which includes 40 gritters, 40 snowploughs and eight footpath gritters, is set to cover 370 miles of trunk roads and 94 miles of footpaths; recognises the hard work of Amey’s dedicated staff who work 24 hours a day to keep roads safe and moving, and notes that Amey will also launch a new naming competition soon for the next winter period.

That the Parliament congratulates Chloe Wooldrage on being named on the Young Women’s Movement Scotland’s 30 under 30 list; understands that this national list aims to celebrate the accomplishments and successes of women in Scotland under the age of 30; further understands that Chloe has been named on this list following the success of her "Tak a Stand" campaign, which serves as an Orkney-wide platform to decrease shame and promote conversations surrounding sexual abuse and harassment; acknowledges that Chloe’s campaign has resulted in an increase in people coming forward to report sexual violence; recognises that Chloe’s name on this list sits alongside the likes of the UK’s youngest national newspaper editor, an AI ethicist who is leading the fight against biases in tech, and a 19-year-old who founded a charity to support neurodivergent young people, and thanks Chloe for all that she has done to keep the conversation going around sexual harassment and assault in Orkney.

That the Parliament notes with regret the misrepresentation of Fair Isle knitting, which is a traditional knitting style using a colourwork technique that originated in Shetland in the late 19th century, in the first episode of the Channel 4 TV programme Game of Wool: Britain’s Best Knitter, which is produced by Glasgow-based Hello Halo (part of STV Studios); understands that the programme has reportedly faced criticism due to its use of incorrect terminology, including the misuse of the Shetland word "peerie" by describing small patterns as "peeries", rather than "peerie patterns", and blurring the distinctive Fair Isle with other types of colourwork; further understands there has been criticism of the setting of a challenge to produce a Fair Isle tank top using needles and yarn of the wrong sizing for Fair Isle knitting and in an unrealistic timeframe; understands that the decision by a contestant to "cut" his knitting, a practice which involves knitting in the round and then cutting holes for the arms and neck, was framed by the programme as a risky choice and a factor in the contestant’s failure to complete the challenge, despite this being a Fair Isle knitting technique and the contestant having previously spent time learning techniques in Shetland; notes that the programme used the phrase "the Shetlands" to describe the Shetland Islands, a term which is rejected by Shetlanders; expresses its extreme disappointment that despite the programme’s production team having been in contact with Shetland knitters to ask for advice before the programme aired, with one person answering questions and two sending videos, this was reportedly completely ignored; believes that this episode was a missed opportunity to accurately showcase the beloved tradition of Fair Isle knitting and the skill and creativity of the Shetland knitting community; highlights that there are knitting groups and organisations in Shetland working to teach the next generation of knitters the Fair Isle technique, with contemporary designers incorporating new colour palettes and styles as Fair Isle patterns continue to evolve, and recommends anyone with an interest in Fair Isle knitting to engage with the Shetland knitting community.

That the Parliament congratulates East Dunbartonshire Netball Club, which is based in Bishopbriggs and is marking its 10th anniversary; recognises the club’s growth in the last decade, now supporting over 200 members across all ages and abilities; commends the dedication of players, coaches and volunteers to build a vibrant and inclusive sporting community, and wishes the club every success in future competitions.

That the Parliament congratulates the Our Garnock Valley partnership on receiving the Judges’ Special Award at the Scotland Loves Local Awards 2025, which were held in the Scottish Parliament on 5 November; notes that the award recognises the collaborative efforts of communities across Barrmill, Beith, Dalry, Kilbirnie and the wider Garnock Valley in preparing and delivering the Our Garnock Valley Plan; further notes that the plan was officially registered by North Ayrshire Council on 29 October 2025, following two years of work by local volunteers supported by the Council and partner organisations; commends representatives Helen McNaughton of Beith and District Community Council and Sheena Woodside of Dalry Community Development Hub for accepting the award on behalf of the partnership; acknowledges the involvement of other local organisations, including Beith Community Development Trust, Dalry Community Council, Dalry Community Sports Club, Garnock Valley Youth Forum and Kilbirnie and Glengarnock Community Council; welcomes the recognition given by the judges and by Scotland’s Towns Partnership of the community’s approach to regeneration and local planning, and hopes that this national recognition will help support the continued delivery of the Our Garnock Valley Plan in the years ahead.

That the Parliament recognises the importance of the UK Oil and Gas Chaplaincy; understands that the chaplaincy, which was founded in the 1980s by Reverend Andrew Wylie, provides financial, pastoral, emotional, mental and spiritual care to people who work or have worked in the North Sea oil and gas industry and their dependants, with everyone welcome, regardless of faith or none; further understands that the chaplaincy offers "coffee with the Chaplain" meetings for anyone who works in the industry, offshore visits to meet workers and emergency response to care for families in times of bereavement and difficulty; believes that the book of remembrance, which is kept by the chaplaincy as a record of all who have died offshore, is an important way of honouring those who have lost their lives; understands that the chaplaincy keeps a separate Piper Alpha book of remembrance and is involved in annual remembrance services of the 1988 Piper Alpha disaster; notes that the 2025 annual service of remembrance, a commemoration for those who have died while working offshore, was held on 1 November 2025; further notes that the service of remembrance and other services and events are held in the Oil Chapel in the Kirk of St Nicholas in Aberdeen; commends the charitable efforts of the Chaplaincy Trust, which administers the hardship fund that provides support to industry workers and their direct dependents in times of need; notes that the work of the chaplaincy is funded by OEUK and the work of the Trust is possible by donations of those within and without the industry; considers that the chaplaincy provides an important service to oil and gas workers and their dependents, including those from the Shetland Islands constituency, and thanks the chaplain, Reverend Michael J Mair, the chaplaincy administrator, Lynne de Boer, and the board of trustees for their work.

That the Parliament congratulates MCK Windows & Doors Ltd, of Kirkintilloch, on being named Scotland’s Best Window Replacement Company and Best Door Replacement Company for 2024-25 at the Home Improvement Awards; acknowledges the company’s commitment to quality craftsmanship, customer satisfaction and innovation in home improvement; recognises its recent certification under East Dunbartonshire’s Trusted Trader Scheme, reflecting what it sees as its high standards and reliability, and wishes the business every success for the future.