Chamber and committees

That the Parliament

That the Parliament congratulates Hays Travel Hamilton for raising an amazing £1,096.50 in aid of Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust; commends the staff, family members and customers for their efforts in taking part in a four-mile sponsored walk around Strathclyde Park in Motherwell; recognises the efforts of manager, Amanda Harvie, who arranged the walk and fundraising, and notes that the Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust provides what it sees as a vital free transport service to cancer patients, from all over Lanarkshire, to hospital appointments, clinics and day-care facilities.

That the Parliament congratulates St Mark's Primary School in Hamilton on its impressive performance at the West of Scotland regional final of the Scottish primary schools’ Glee Challenge; notes that pupils were judged on overall performance, including vocal performance, musicality, movement, teamwork and audience engagement; recognises that their performance of Somebody to Love by Queen and I Lived by OneRepublic earned the team joint second place in a very challenging competition at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall; understands that 180 primary schools participated in the 2026 challenge, with nine reaching the regional final for the west; commends the organisers, the Frisson Foundation, on hosting the event and encouraging children to embrace musical creativity; extends congratulations to all of the schools involved, and wishes them the best for next year’s Glee Challenge.

That the Parliament congratulates Councillor Helen Toner on being awarded the Rose Bowl for services to Club Sport Hamilton at the Club Sport Hamilton Awards at Hamilton Town House; notes the event was held to celebrate success in sport over 2025 with various award categories for individuals, young people, coaches and community impact; commends Helen’s dedication to supporting local sporting organisations, events and fundraising; acknowledges her efforts on the rebranding of Club Sport Hamilton, and congratulates all involved in organising the event, and their work to ensure that all nominees got the recognition that they deserved for their achievements.

That the Parliament congratulates Mr Meats Butcher on its success at the 2026 Scottish Craft Butcher Awards, which were judged by Forth Valley College; acknowledges that the team received two Silver awards for its ribeye steak and its beef and caramelised onion burger; believes that the awards highlight the quality and craftsmanship from the business, and commends Mr Meats Butcher for its dedication to providing quality produce to the community in Hamilton.

That the Parliament notes the 10-year anniversary of the Brexit referendum; recognises that all local authority areas, including South Lanarkshire, voted in favour of Scotland remaining a member of the European Union; deplores what it sees as the damage caused to Scotland by a Brexit it did not vote in favour of and that has contributed, it believes, to increases in the price of food, energy and the cost of living; further deplores what it sees as the tragic loss of opportunities, particularly for young people, that has occurred as a result of Brexit; believes that the only route to rejoin the European family of nations is through Scottish independence, and looks forward to the day this may come to pass.