Chamber and committees

That the Parliament congratulates the Glasgow Times on its 150th anniversary; acknowledges that the newspaper, which was named the Evening Times until 4 December 2019, was first published on 5 June 1876 by George Outram & Co as a newspaper for working-class Glaswegians wishing to be informed and entertained as they came home from work; recognises that it was born into what was known as the "second city of the empire" at the height of its industrial might, catering specifically to a highly literate and skilled workforce in the shipyards, foundries and engineering works on Clydeside; notes with pride that for much of its history, the paper was written and printed in the heart of the city at the iconic Glasgow Herald Building on Mitchell Street, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and known today as The Lighthouse, where the thunder of the presses once shook the pavement as editions were rushed out to vendors; believes that for 150 years, the newspaper has served as a daily mirror to the city’s life, famously sold by street vendors shouting, "Final Times!", to crowds of workers pouring out of factory and shipyard gates and onto tram and subway cars; recognises that for 150 years it has provided news and opinion on every major event that has taken place in the city of Glasgow; further recognises what it sees as its vital historical role in connecting Glaswegians not just to local matters but to the global trade networks that their labour supported; praises its legacy of delivering up-to-the-minute telegraph news, from foreign affairs to the latest football results, long before the age of broadcast and social media; welcomes its long-standing commitments to accurate reporting and speaking truth to power; praises the editors, journalists, photographers, vendors, paper boys and girls and all associated staff, past and present, for their unwavering dedication to the city, including their support for countless local campaigns and community initiatives, and wishes everyone at the Glasgow Times all the best for the next 150 years and beyond.

That the Parliament condemns the decision by Co-op Funeralcare to close its coffin manufacturing facility at Bogmoor Place in Shieldhall, Glasgow; notes that this closure puts around 74 skilled jobs at risk of redundancy, with all operations set to transfer to Merseyside by November 2026; recognises the deep historic significance of the Bogmoor Place facility as the last remaining vestige of the former Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society (SCWS) factory complex at Shieldhall, which was once one of the largest and most vital industrial concerns in Scotland; regrets that, following the merger of the SCWS and the Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS) in the 1970s, the physical and economic footprint of the Co-op Group has steadily shifted out of Scotland towards Greater Manchester; expresses serious concern over the detrimental economic impact that this final withdrawal will have on the local community, given that the factory remains a major employer in an area facing high levels of socio-economic deprivation; highlights that the Co-op Group remains highly profitable, achieving a pre-tax profit of £116 million in 2025 alongside a 10% growth in its Funeralcare pre-need sales volumes; strongly supports Unite the Union in its campaign to protect these local jobs, and calls on the Co-op Group to reconsider this decision, respect its historic cooperative heritage in Scotland, and invest in a new, purpose-built manufacturing facility within Glasgow.

That the Parliament congratulates Celtic Football Club on winning the 2025-26 Scottish Premiership title, confirming its status as champions for an historic 56th time and securing a fifth consecutive league title; notes the dramatic nature of the victory on the final day of the season with a 3-1 win over Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park; recognises the Glasgow team's resilience in overcoming a one-point deficit going into the final matchday, a feat made possible by a crucial 3-2 victory over Motherwell just days prior; pays tribute to the exceptional leadership of manager, Martin O'Neill, noting that this victory marks a deeply personal and emotional triumph following his return from retirement to Parkhead in January at the age of 73, and celebrates that this achievement represents his fourth Scottish league title as Celtic manager; commends the team captain, Callum McGregor, and the entire squad for achieving a final tally of 82 points; recognises the work of the coaching and backroom staff, whose behind-the-scenes expertise was vital to their successful title campaign; extends commiserations to Heart of Midlothian Football Club for its formidable challenge, having led the league until the final day and contributing to one of the most thrilling title races in recent memory; recognises the unwavering dedication of the Celtic supporters, and wishes the club well in the UEFA Champions League.

That the Parliament recognises that the Glasgow Trade Union Council (GTUC) held its annual May Day March on 3 May 2026 in honour of International Workers' Day; notes the rich history of the labour movement and May Day celebrations in Glasgow; understands that a diverse coalition of trade unionists, community organisations, and their families marched through Glasgow from the Barrowland Park to the Glasgow University Union; acknowledges that the theme of the 2026 march was “The Fight of Our Lives”, reflecting the pressing challenges faced by Glasgow’s trade unionists, including the cost of living, the defence of public services, and the push for fair work and secure employment; celebrates Scotland's active and proud trade union movement, and wishes the GTUC, its affiliated unions, and all working-class people in Glasgow the very best for the year ahead.

That the Parliament celebrates the return of the Heritage and Hope sculpture to Springburn railway station after more than 20 years in storage; understands that the bronze statue, created by the artist, Vincent Butler in 1989, depicts a railway worker and his daughter and serves as a powerful symbol of Springburn’s proud locomotive-building heritage and its aspirations for the future; commends the tireless efforts of local artist, Mandy McIntosh, in partnership with Network Rail, ScotRail, Springburn Shopping Centre and Springburn Unity Network in ensuring that the sculpture was preserved and restored; notes that the sculpture has been installed in a prominent position on platform one, where it will be seen by tens of thousands of passengers every year; acknowledges what it sees as the importance of public art in reclaiming local history and fostering community pride, and wishes the people of Springburn continued success in their ongoing efforts to preserve and celebrate the area’s unique industrial and cultural history.

That the Parliament congratulates Glasgow-based artist, Frank To, on being unconditionally accepted into the Society of Graphic Fine Art 105th Annual Exhibition; acknowledges that the Society of Graphic Fine Art is the only national society in the UK dedicated exclusively to drawing; recognises that Frank To is one of Scotland's leading contemporary artists, whose work has been accepted by prestigious organisations such as the Royal Ulster Academy and the Bath Society of Artists; celebrates the fact that Frank To's work was on display in the Exhibition of Scottish Artists at the Stafford Gallery, and wishes him well with any future artistic endeavours.

That the Parliament celebrates the 2026 Glasgow St Patrick’s Festival Parade; acknowledges that the parade, which took place on 14 March 2026, is a vibrant celebration of Irish heritage and culture and the immense contribution of the Irish community to the social, cultural and economic life of Glasgow and Scotland; notes that the 2026 theme, A Celebration of Irish Immigration to Scotland, highlights the deep historical and contemporary links between the two nations; commends the Glasgow St Patrick's Festival Parade Committee and its partners, including Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland, for their work in organising this inclusive, family-friendly event; welcomes the participation of traditional marching bands, including Rann na Feirste and Dobhar from Donegal, alongside local groups such as St Roch’s, Buíon Ceoil Brother Walfrid and Comhaltas branches; recognises the significance of the parade finishing at Merchant Square for the Festival Family Day, and wishes the festival continued success in its mission to promote and share Irish culture across the city of Glasgow.

That the Parliament congratulates Simon Community Scotland on achieving the Foundations LGBT Charter; recognises the hard work and dedication of pupils and staff in achieving this prestigious award from LGBT Youth Scotland; acknowledges the introduction of training and a review of policies, practice and resources that aim to ensure that Simon Community Scotland goes beyond meeting legislative needs and is as inclusive as it can be for pupils, staff, parents and the wider community, and wishes everyone involved well in all future endeavours.

That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the "Show Up" mental health stigma and discrimination campaign from SAMH; understands that people with mental illness in Glasgow and across Scotland die on average 15 years earlier than people without; notes that two thirds of such early deaths are a result of preventable causes, which are too often overlooked or dismissed because of a person’s mental illness diagnosis; acknowledges the campaign’s call for the Scottish Government and the Parliament to take action to close the mortality gap and ensure that people with mental illness are not dying as a result of a healthcare system that too often discriminates against them; agrees that this should be addressed by introducing an entitlement to annual physical health checks for people with mental illness, ensuring that everyone living with a mental illness has access to social prescribing opportunities, and tackling poverty as a leading cause of poor mental health and early death, and wishes SAMH well with the campaign.

That the Parliament notes that 28 March 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the formation of The Royal Regiment of Scotland; recognises the regiment's distinguished service to Scotland and the UK over the past two decades, including operational deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and other global missions, as well as its role in ceremonial duties and national defence; pays solemn tribute to the 23 serving members of the regiment who have been killed during conflict or as a result of injuries sustained while on operations since its formation; honours their sacrifice and the enduring impact on their families, comrades and communities; acknowledges the rich heritage of the antecedent regiments that amalgamated to form the regiment on 28 March 2006, including The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), The King's Own Scottish Borderers, The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment), The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) and The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), alongside the former Territorial Army regiments, the 52nd Lowland and the 51st Highland, which together embody over 390 years of continuous military service to The Crown; commends the ongoing contributions of the regiment's three regular battalions, one regular incremental company and two Army reserve battalions to international peacekeeping, disaster relief and community engagement across Scotland, including in the Glasgow region; recognises what it sees as the vital role played by the regiment's military bands and pipes and drums in upholding Scottish musical traditions, supporting ceremonial and public duties and maintaining morale; notes in particular the regular Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, the reserve Highland and Lowland bands, and the pipes and drums of each battalion, which, it believes, preserve the distinctive musical legacies of the antecedent regiments and have performed at major national events, including state ceremonial occasions, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and global engagements; notes the changes to the regiment's composition in terms of regular battalions over the last 20 years, including the amalgamation of The Royal Scots and The King's Own Scottish Borderers into the 1st Battalion (1 SCOTS) in August 2006, the reduction of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion (5 SCOTS), to an incremental company, Balaclava Company, in 2013 under the Army 2020 reforms, and the redesignation of The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion, to form the 1st Battalion of the new Ranger Regiment in 2021 under the Future Soldier programme; pays tribute to what it sees as the bravery, professionalism and dedication of all serving members, veterans and their families, and extends its best wishes to all ranks of The Royal Regiment of Scotland for continued success in the years ahead.