Meeting of the Parliament (Accessible)

Portfolio Questions Climate Action and Rural Affairs Joe Fagan S7O-00106 1. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to develop fairer food production systems. Clare Haughey S7O-00107 2. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its Programme for Government 2021-22 commitment to consult on the phasing out of farrowing crates. Yi-pei Chou Turvey S7O-00108 3. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the impact of increasingly extreme weather events, including flooding, on rural communities and their infrastructure. Gillian Mackay S7O-00109 4. To ask the Scottish Government when it will implement management measures for inshore Marine Protected Areas and Priority Marine Features. Mark Ruskell S7O-00110 5. To ask the Scottish Government what national assessment it has made of the climate impact associated with hyperscale AI green data centres. Amanda Lindsay S7O-00111 6. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support farmers in mitigating the negative impacts of certain plant and animal species on their businesses. Clare Adamson S7O-00112 7. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with specialist organisations regarding equipment and systems used to tackle wildfire and vegetation fires, in light of the increasing risk of such fires affecting rural communities, woodlands, parks and urban green and open spaces across Scotland. David Green S7O-00113 8. To ask the Scottish Government what advice and support it provides to rural communities on wildfire prevention ahead of the heightened risk of such fires during the summer months. Gary Bouse S7O-00114 9. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact on the environment of the construction and operation of hyperscale data centres. Submitting member has a registered interest. Alan Brown S7O-00115 10. To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to carry out a cumulative impact assessment of the number of planning applications proposed for AI data centres, including the power and water resources required and the impact on climate emissions. Education, Culture and Gaelic David Torrance S7O-00116 1. [Withdrawn] Katherine Sangster S7O-00117 2. To ask the Scottish Government what specific support it plans to provide to primary and special schools to enable the delivery of universal breakfast clubs. Daniel Johnson S7O-00118 3. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the provision of post-school skills pathways. Thomas Kerr S7O-00119 4. To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the development of skills and encourages apprenticeships, in light of reported concerns that young people are steered towards some degree courses that offer limited value. Senga Beresford S7O-00120 5. To ask the Scottish Government what it considers to be the top three learning priorities for primary school pupils. Michelle Campbell S7O-00121 6. To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to future phases of the Learning Estate Investment Programme to support local authorities in delivering modern and sustainable school buildings. Duncan Dunlop S7O-00122 7. To ask the Scottish Government whether children and young people in kinship care are eligible to receive the care leaver payment. Kristopher Leask S7O-00123 8. To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to festivals in island communities to ensure that they are sustainable. Adam Harley S7O-00124 9. To ask the Scottish Government what its priorities are for teacher workforce planning. Zen Ghani S7O-00125 10. To ask the Scottish Government what steps were taken to achieve a near-record 93.5% of school leavers heading into positive destinations in 2024-25. followed by Reform UK Debate: Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031 Malcolm Offord S7M-00446 Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031—That the Parliament believes that strong and sustained economic growth is the foundation of a successful nation, where everyone can feel hope that effort will be rewarded, with opportunities and high-quality services for all; recognises that the Scottish Government’s policy choices are constraining economic growth, including Scotland becoming the highest-taxed part of the UK, which risks disincentivising work and investment and undermining confidence in the economy; further recognises that high quality jobs and opportunities provide more than just tax for the Government, as the loss of purpose experienced through unemployment or not being able to use their skills in work is a major factor behind the reported rising mental health crisis; further recognises that economic growth depends on a diverse range of pathways into employment, not solely through university, and calls for greater emphasis on apprenticeships that provide real skills and faster entry into the workforce, alongside a broader subject offer in schools, including targeted action to be directed at core literacy due to one in four primary school aged children still not reaching expected levels of literacy; acknowledges that net zero will come to describe the level of economic growth should current environmental policy continue on its current trajectory; considers that economic growth also relies on secure, affordable and reliable energy, and that increasing North Sea production is essential for price stability and security of supply as part of a broad, market-driven energy mix; believes that too many net zero policies such as low emission zones are a regressive tax for those on lower incomes, which only further harms individual opportunities and economic growth; further believes that sustainable economic growth requires public policy that commands broad confidence and is grounded in evidence, and notes concerns that recent policy approaches, including on gender have alienated a majority of people, and failed some of those they were intended to benefit; considers that Lady Ross’s landmark legal ruling on transgender prison guidance is a condemnation of the deviation from evidence backed policy and must be swiftly complied with; recognises that population policy and migration must support economic sustainability and public services, and calls, therefore, for the use of devolved powers to reduce incentives for illegal migration, such as through not allowing non-citizens access to social housing or Scottish welfare, and to ensure that limited public resources are focused on supporting economic participation and long-term growth. Further details available for S7M-00446 Tom Arthur S7M-00446.2 Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031—As an amendment to motion S7M-00446 in the name of Malcolm Offord (Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031), leave out from first “believes” to end and insert "condemns xenophobia, racism and hatred in society, including recent instances of intimidation, violence and disorder; further condemns the actions and language of those who seek to stoke such sentiments and division; agrees that such beliefs and actions do not reflect those of the vast majority of people living in Scotland, who value being a welcoming nation; welcomes the valuable contribution that migrants make to Scotland’s communities and economy; reaffirms the Scottish Parliament's commitment to human rights and equality for all; supports an economy that gives opportunities and helps to deliver investment through progressive taxation to sustain the public services on which everyone relies, and recognises the economic opportunity that a just transition can offer to Scotland through investment and innovation.” Further details available for S7M-00446.2 Daniel Johnson S7M-00446.1 Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031—As an amendment to motion S7M-00446 in the name of Malcolm Offord (Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031), leave out from “strong and sustained economic growth” to end and insert “only by fundamentally reducing inequality and creating an economy that works for everyone will Scotland be able to tackle division and hatred; condemns racism in all its forms and rejects a politics that aims to pit people against each other, exaggerating differences and exploiting disillusionment for personal political gain; agrees that building a fairer and more prosperous Scotland will depend on delivering economic growth that creates wealth and opportunities across the country and uses progressive taxation to fund strong public services; rejects the wasteful and short-sighted approach of the Scottish Government, which leaves working people in Scotland paying more but feeling like they are getting less in return, and believes that a better future for Scotland is possible but will depend on the Scottish Government finally unblocking housebuilding, reforming the skills system to support industry and workers and creating the energy jobs of the future so that the next generation continues to be better off than the last.” Further details available for S7M-00446.1 Murdo Fraser S7M-00446.3 Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031—As an amendment to motion S7M-00446 in the name of Malcolm Offord (Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031), leave out from “believes” to end and insert “agrees that strong economic growth is essential to raising living standards, creating jobs and funding high-quality public services; notes with concern that, after nearly two decades of a Scottish National Party administration, Scotland continues to suffer from weak growth, low business confidence and poor productivity; further notes that Scotland has become the highest-taxed part of the UK, leaving workers paying more and making Scotland less competitive for investment, jobs and enterprise; recognises that Scotland’s economic prospects are strengthened by its place in the UK, which remains Scotland’s largest market and provides the stability, scale and security that businesses need to invest; believes that the Scottish Government should use the powers of the Scottish Parliament to grow the economy, lower the tax burden and support business, rather than pursue constitutional division, and calls on the Scottish Government to focus on making Scotland more competitive, more productive and more attractive as a place to work, invest and do business.” Further details available for S7M-00446.3 Willie Rennie S7M-00446.4 Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031—As an amendment to motion S7M-00446 in the name of Malcolm Offord (Scotland Needs Reform: Five Years to 2031), leave out from first "recognises" to end and insert "; further believes that Scottish Government policy should work for every region of Scotland, with adequate public transport links, infrastructure and housing to meet the needs of communities and both traditional and emerging sectors of the economy; recognises the need for a dynamic and skilled workforce, as well as significant and targeted investment in Scotland’s world-class colleges and universities; further recognises that skilled inward migration is vital to sustaining key sectors of the economy; understands that the crisis in the NHS will only be addressed when considered alongside the crisis in the social care sector, and that migration is a key aspect of addressing those challenges; believes that Scotland has a proud history of offering safe harbour to refugees from across the world, and resolves to strive for a Scotland that protects the rights and interests of all, regardless of who they are or where they come from." Further details available for S7M-00446.4 followed by Motion on Legislative Consent: National Security (State Threats) Bill – UK Legislation Neil Gray S7M-00461 National Security (State Threats) Bill – UK Legislation—That the Parliament, noting that the National Security (State Threats) Bill, introduced to the House of Commons on 9 June 2026, makes provision that alters the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers, agrees to give consent to such provision as made by paragraph 5 to the Schedule to the Bill. Further details available for S7M-00461 followed by Members’ Business: Nuclear Power in Scotland Liam Kerr S7M-00258 That the Parliament considers that nuclear power in Scotland produces cheap, dependable and green electricity; notes the findings of the Nuclear Industry Association that Torness Nuclear Power Station, which is set to cease production in 2030, has generated 307 TWh of clean electricity since 1988, which it believes is sufficient to power every home in the country for 36 years, and has averted a minimum of 101 million tonnes of CO2 emissions; understands that nuclear power brings significant financial benefits and supports hundreds of jobs and contractors; believes that Scotland’s civil nuclear industry could have supported over 10,000 jobs if the sector had experienced the same growth rate as that in England; considers that the "no new nuclear" position of the Scottish Government has led to an exodus of workers from Scotland; recognises calls from the Nuclear Industry Association for the Scottish Government to end its political opposition to nuclear power in order that this can form part of a balanced energy mix that it considers the country needs, alongside its North Sea oil and gas industry; notes the view that this must be supported, encouraged and no longer subject to a presumption against oil and gas, and further notes the view that the Scottish Government must act decisively to protect jobs, deliver energy security and provide cheaper energy by unlocking nuclear energy production in Scotland. Further details available for S7M-00258