Meeting of the Parliament, Continued

Motion of Condolence John Swinney S6M-18531 That the Parliament expresses its profound sadness at the death of George Reid; extends its deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to his family and friends; appreciates the many years of public service that he gave as an MP, MSP, Presiding Officer, and Lord Lieutenant; recognises the substantial contribution that he made to the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and the securing of its place in the life of the nation, and acknowledges his humanitarian work over many decades and the high regard in which he was held by colleagues across the world. Further details available for S6M-18531 followed by Portfolio Questions Education and Skills Gordon MacDonald S6O-04954 1. To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in education infrastructure since 2011. Emma Roddick S6O-04955 2. To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill aims to give school pupils an independent right to opt in, but not opt out, of religious observance. Richard Leonard S6O-04956 3. To ask the Scottish Government what interventions it has made to end the current dispute over jobs and cuts in the higher education sector. Oliver Mundell S6O-04957 4. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that pupils attending smaller rural schools are receiving the additional support for learning that they need. Martin Whitfield S6O-04958 5. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with outdoor education centres and schools regarding the financial and staffing implications of the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill. Rachael Hamilton S6O-04959 6. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its ongoing review of the guidance on the mothballing of nurseries. Elena Whitham S6O-04960 7. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the recently published report by Humanist Society Scotland, Preaching is not Teaching, regarding concerns that pupils in non-denominational schools may feel compelled to take part in religious worship activities against their own wishes. Submitting member has a registered interest. Meghan Gallacher S6O-04961 8. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any steps it is taking to expand the availability of training and apprenticeships in the construction sector, in light of reported industry concerns about a growing skills gap. followed by Ministerial Statement: Improving Care on the Isle of Skye followed by SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee Debate: SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Ben Macpherson S6M-18936 That the Parliament welcomes and notes the SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee's 1st Report, 2025 (Session 6), SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review (SP Paper 828); recognises the Committee's conclusions and recommendations, including concerns that expanding the number of SPCB supported bodies risks further fragmenting the current landscape, increasing complexity for service users, and placing additional strain on the SPCB and parliamentary committee resources, and agrees with the Committee’s recommendations that: (a) the SPCB supported body landscape should not be expanded to include new advocacy-type SPCB supported bodies; (b) any future proposals for new SPCB supported bodies must satisfy two-tier criteria, as set out in paragraph 150 of the report, comprising both justification and effectiveness tests, and that a parliamentary committee should be given the remit of assessing proposals against these criteria; and (c) a parliamentary committee should be given the specific responsibility for the accountability and scrutiny of SPCB supported bodies for a fixed period as a pilot exercise in Session 7. Further details available for S6M-18936 Martin Whitfield S6M-18936.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-18936 in the name of Ben Macpherson (SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee Debate: SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review), leave out from “, and agrees” to end. Further details available for S6M-18936.1 followed by Decision Time