Meeting of the Parliament (Accessible)

Time for Reflection Rev Neil Gardner, Minister, Canongate Kirk followed by General Questions 1. Angela Ross S7O-00415 To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to address antisocial behaviour and retail theft in town centres and high streets across Edinburgh and Lothian East. 2. Liam McArthur S7O-00416 To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the Scottish Urban-Rural Classification, including its application in the delivery of public services. 3. Graham Simpson S7O-00417 To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking, in coordination with the UK Government, to ensure that households and essential public services in Scotland are prepared for any prolonged disruption to electricity, water and telecommunications services, including the measures used to assess the effectiveness of that action. 4. Clare Adamson S7O-00418 To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to simplify access to the Blue Badge scheme for older people who are in receipt of Pension Age Disability Payment who have significant mobility difficulties. Submitting member has a registered interest. 5. Andrew Baxter S7O-00419 To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise awareness of, and improve access to screening for young sudden cardiac death. 6. Max Bannerman S7O-00420 To ask the Scottish Government what the policy and practice of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is regarding the provision of documentation relating to the death of a relative to members of the deceased's family where the death occurred in suspicious circumstances. 7. David Smith S7O-00421 To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent incidents of rioting and civil unrest across Europe, what action is being taken to prevent the same happening in Scotland. 8. Katie Hagmann S7O-00422 To ask the Scottish Government whether, as part of its plans for franchising and regulation, it will review existing bus service provision to identify communities that are poorly served or lack adequate public transport connections. followed by First Minister’s Questions (Backbench Members) followed by Ministerial Statement: Supporting Victims of Domestic Abuse: Taking Action to Support Those Affected by Council Tax Debt followed by Scottish Government Debate: Supporting Young People to Participate in the Labour Market Tom Arthur S7M-01838 That the Parliament believes that every young person should have the opportunity to realise their potential and participate fully in the labour market; recognises that providing young people with the best start to their working lives is critical to Scotland’s future economic prosperity; welcomes the fact that 95.7% of young people are going into positive destinations such as work, training, college or university three months after leaving school; welcomes the commitment to deliver at least 150,000 apprenticeships during the current parliamentary session; recognises the importance of ensuring that people receive the right support at the right time to progress towards and within work; welcomes the commitment to review employability services in order to maximise effectiveness of support; acknowledges that some young people face additional barriers to making successful transitions from secondary education and that targeted, person-centred support is essential to helping them overcome these challenges, and supports continued action to ensure that every young person, regardless of background or circumstance, is supported to achieve a positive and sustained destination in education, training or employment. Further details available for S7M-01838 Daniel Johnson S7M-01838.5 As an amendment to motion S7M-01838 in the name of Tom Arthur (Supporting Young People to Participate in the Labour Market), insert at end “; is concerned by figures indicating that as many as one in six young people in Scotland are not in education, work or training; believes that there is a need to simplify vocational qualifications, to create lifelong learning pathways and to support the development of flexible courses that can be tailored to individuals and businesses, and calls on the Scottish Government to draw up proposals to devolve funding for lifelong learning and skills to regional leaders to bring together colleges, employers and training providers, to ensure that people are equipped with the skills industry needs and that local communities share in the benefits of investment." Further details available for S7M-01838.5 Angela Ross S7M-01838.4 As amendment to motion S7M-01838 in the name of Tom Arthur (Supporting Young People to Participate in the Labour Market), delete after first “welcomes” to end and insert “; is concerned that thousands of young Scots remain detached from employment, education or training, despite years of Scottish Government promises; expresses concern that the Scottish Government has been unable to produce comparative not in education, employment or training (NEET) figures for all 16- to 24-year-olds in Scotland, instead relying on more favourable data from a narrower age range; notes that the Annual Population Survey indicates that one in six 16- to 24-year-olds in Scotland has NEET status; believes that a generation is being failed by a system that too often leaves young people without purpose, direction or hope for the future; recognises that work must be the surest route to financial independence and prosperity for young people, and believes that people should keep more of the money they earn and that every young person should have a clear pathway from education to productive employment, financial independence and economic security.” Further details available for S7M-01838.4 Iris Duane S7M-01838.2 As an amendment to motion S7M-01838 in the name of Tom Arthur (Supporting Young People to Participate in the Labour Market) insert at end "; agrees that the UK Government must act immediately to end age-based minimum wage discriminatory bands to ensure that young workers are paid a fair wage, and notes the need to establish a minimum standard for apprenticeships to ensure effective quality control and fair treatment for apprentices." Further details available for S7M-01838.2 Rachael Hamilton S7M-01838.3 As an amendment to motion S7M-01838 in the name of Tom Arthur (Supporting Young People to Participate in the Labour Market), leave out from first “welcomes” to end and insert “notes that, despite high rates of positive destinations, the proportion of school leavers entering employment has fallen; believes that the best way to support young people into work is to create a strong economy in which businesses can afford to hire and invest; regrets the decline in Modern Apprenticeship starts and the reduction in college-based skills training in Scotland despite continued employer demand for skills; questions the ambition of a target for 150,000 apprenticeships over the current parliamentary session, given that this is close to what the existing annual provision would already deliver; calls on the Scottish Government to reduce the cost of doing business, to expand apprenticeship opportunities and to rebuild vocational education, and believes that employability support should focus on helping those who face genuine barriers into work rather than imposing further costs and interventions on employers.” Further details available for S7M-01838.3 Liam McArthur S7M-01838.1 As an amendment to motion S7M-01838 in the name of Tom Arthur (Supporting Young People to Participate in the Labour Market), insert at end “; notes with concern that the number of 16 to 24-year-olds who are economically inactive because of health reasons reached 26,300 in 2024-25, more than double the figure recorded a decade earlier; further notes that the number of modern apprenticeship starts fell to 24,849 in 2025-26 and remains below pre-pandemic levels despite a shortage of skilled workers constraining Scotland’s economy; recognises the need for improved data to better understand the barriers preventing many young people from participating in the labour market, and further recognises the importance of improving mental health services and neurodevelopmental assessment and support in order to enable young people to achieve their potential.” Further details available for S7M-01838.1 followed by Motion on Legislative Consent: Sporting Events Bill - UK Legislation Stephen Flynn S7M-01837 That the Parliament, noting that the Sporting Events Bill, introduced in the House of Lords on 14 May 2026, makes provision that falls within the legislative competence of the Parliament and alters the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers, agrees to give consent to such provision as is made by clauses 1 to 13, clauses 18 to 31, and Schedules 1, 2, 3 and 6. Further details available for S7M-01837 followed by Decision Time followed by Members’ Business: Hospice Care Week 2026 - Don’t Leave Hospice Care to Chance Bob Doris S7M-00981 That the Parliament looks forward to this year’s Hospice Care Week campaign by Hospice UK, taking place from 5 to 11 October 2026, with this year’s theme being Don’t Leave Hospice Care To Chance; values the important and compassionate work that is carried out by hospices across Scotland, with the majority of hospice care being delivered in the community; recognises the demographic challenges that are anticipated in the coming years, with research estimating that 10,000 additional people will be in need of palliative care in Scotland by 2048; notes the belief that there will need to be strong partnership and strategic planning in order to respond to such demographic challenge; welcomes the cross-party consensus in the last session of Parliament on the need to further support the palliative and end of life sector, and notes the belief that a constructive cross-party and cross-sector approach will be vital in this current session of the Scottish Parliament to build on that consensus and more importantly to best deliver for individuals approaching end of life, as well as their families. Further details available for S7M-00981