Chamber and committees

That the Parliament nominates Professor Angela O’Hagan to His Majesty The King for appointment as the Chair of the Scottish Commission for Human Rights.

That the Parliament welcomes the latest Industry Trends and Attitudes report, published by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF); believes that the fishing industry stands at a pivotal juncture and faces pressing challenges from the spatial squeeze of competing marine interests to debates surrounding sustainability and conservation; acknowledges what it sees as an overwhelmingly positive public perception of fishing and the crucial role that it plays for coastal communities and national food and energy security; urges MSPs of all political parties to take time to understand the detail and nuance of the Scottish fishing and seafood industry in championing what it considers to be the nutritious, sustainable and climate-smart food that it produces; considers that fishing needs to be supported and properly protected in increasingly crowded seas to ensure that the right balance is struck between conservation and sustainable harvesting, while recognising that the sector will play an important part in how Scotland reaches net zero; commits to working with the SFF to secure a bright future in fishing; recognises what it sees as the courage of the men and women who brave the waters each day, and whose skilled professionalism, it believes, guarantees that the balance between harvesting and conservation are maintained at all times, and urges MSPs to pledge to support Scotland’s fishing communities by backing fishermen at sea and their colleagues ashore as a vital part of Scotland’s food story, by being champions of the healthy, nutritious and sustainable food that they produce, by being proud of what it sees as this low-carbon, climate-smart food sector, by supporting the reported calls for strong, focused science to increase understanding by backing the industry to get a fair deal in Scotland's reportedly crowded seas, by agreeing that food security is as important as energy security, by working with fishermen and fishing communities to ensure that they will not only survive but will thrive in the decades to come, and by having pride in Scotland's seas and all those who feed people from them.

That the Parliament congratulates the Helensburgh Dorian Choir, Helensburgh’s oldest choir, on its 75th anniversary; notes that it was set up in 1949 by James MacTaggart; understands that the choir will hold an anniversary concert celebrating the wonderful world and providing some optimism during difficult times; commends the choir's musical director, Sian Winstanley, who it believes has strengthened the choir since joining in 2017; understands that the choir has never been so popular; wishes the choir the best of luck for the future, and encourages people to attend the concert on 3 May 2024 that will see Hermitage Primary School join it in renditions of popular songs, such as Edelweiss and Dancing in the Street.

That the Parliament congratulates Lochandubh Kennels and Cattery in Barcaldine on winning Kennels of the Year in the Local Pet Awards for the second consecutive year; considers that the awards highlight the dedication and commitment of those working within the local pet sector, with Lochandubh coming out top for the Angus, Stirling, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, Fife and Argyll and Bute area, and understands that Lochandubh is run by mother and daughter team, Fiona and Anna-May Woodhouse, who, alongside the kennels, run the registered charity, Fiona’s Ark, for the rehoming of animals in Argyll and the surrounding area.

That the Parliament recognises the work of young curators from Dounby Community School, who have worked on the Mineral Minds exhibition at Stromness Museum; notes that the exhibition celebrates the life and work of Orkney geologists, including Hoy-born and raised Matthew Forster Heddle, who, it understands, is considered Scotland’s greatest ever mineralogist; understands that the young people of Dounby School’s P6/7 class worked together with Stromness Museum on everything from the design of museum displays to the greeting cards sold in the gift shop; recognises that the young curators provided their own geological finds to be displayed alongside the museum’s existing collection; thanks the Orkney creatives, including designer Kirsteen Stewart and jeweller Sheila Fleet, who helped enable the young people’s work on the exhibition, and pays tribute to the hard work of Stromness Museum and the young Dounby curators in bringing this exhibition together.

That the Parliament extends its heartfelt congratulations to SHS Events on flawlessly orchestrating the spring edition of the renowned Top Dog Show at Loch Lomond Shores; acknowledges the biannual nature of this beloved event, which not only brought together 103 enthusiastic canine participants but also garnered an impressive £343.23 in support of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA); recognises what it sees as the dedication of the specialised producers and artisan stallholders, whose contributions, it believes, added to the show's charm and success, and wishes the organisers every success for the upcoming events taking place throughout the year.

That the Parliament supports calls to include Taiwan in World Health Organization (WHO) meetings, activities and mechanisms, as well as in the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer; understands that Taiwan has been excluded following pressure from certain powerful states, despite having strong support from a number of member states; believes that Taiwan has valuable contributions to make to the discussions on public health around the world, including experience from what it sees as its success in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic; considers that excluding voices from global health decisions only serves to jeopardise the health of millions of people, and urges the WHO to include Taiwan in the interests of neutrality, professionalism and global health.

That the Parliament congratulates Sharon McLauchlan on her fantastic recognition as the Clyde Sector employee of the year; understands that Sharon has made a significant impact since she commenced work in the Vale of Leven hospital just one year ago; believes that she goes into work every day with such a positive attitude, and is extremely hardworking and efficient in her role; understands that she has promoted high standards whilst encouraging others to do the same; further understands that her kindness has been commented on by patients and their relatives, particularly recognising the time that she gives them, her positive attitude and caring behaviour, and acknowledges that this award has been given in recognition of the fact that she goes out of her way to make such a positive difference to others and that she is an asset to the wider hospital team.

That the Parliament congratulates Wester Hailes Youth Agency on achieving LGBT Youth Scotland's Gold Charter; understands that the process toward achieving the Gold Charter included working with partner agencies to produce the Trans Top Tips document, delivering multi-agency training with LGBT Youth Scotland, working with Healthy Respect and Lothian Association of Youth Clubs to promote LGBT-inclusive practice, and participating in the Youth Pride Zone as part of the Edinburgh Pride Festival; commends everyone from the Youth Agency involved in achieving the Gold Charter, and understands that it is the first of Edinburgh's youth work organisations to do so.

That the Parliament congratulates Stoane Lighting on winning The King’s Award for Enterprise in the Sustainable Development and Innovation categories; notes its guarantee of excellent service in designing, manufacturing and maintaining lighting equipment across Scotland; understands that it has a commitment to employee ownership, sharing the rewards and responsibility for making the company successful; commends the business for what it sees as its contribution to creating jobs and growing the local area’s economy, and thanks all of the staff for their continued hard work and dedication.