Meeting of the Parliament

Time for Reflection Avril McNeill, Headteacher, Glenrothes High School followed by Topical Questions Audrey Nicoll S6T-01837 1. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the announcement by Aberdeen City Council that residents of approximately 500 homes in Torry face relocation as a result of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. Graham Simpson S6T-01835 2. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported claims by the director of Shelter Scotland that it is "gaslighting" the country on housing when its budget "condemns 10,000 children to lives trapped in the homelessness system". Katy Clark S6T-01838 3. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to resolve industrial action in the further education sector. followed by Ministerial Statement: Ferguson Marine followed by Scottish Government Debate: Scotland’s Place in the World Angus Robertson S6M-12372 That the Parliament believes that Scotland should be able to take its place in the world as a sovereign nation that acts based on its values and principles, working towards peace, sustainability and security as a good global citizen, and in the interests of its people. Alexander Stewart S6M-12372.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-12372 in the name of Angus Robertson (Scotland’s Place in the World), leave out from "Scotland" to end and insert "the Scottish Government should accept the will of the people of Scotland as expressed in the clear and decisive result of the 2014 independence referendum, and calls on the Scottish Government to focus on Scotland’s real priorities, such as growing the economy, reducing NHS waiting times and violent crime, and improving education standards and public services." Neil Bibby S6M-12372.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-12372 in the name of Angus Robertson (Scotland’s Place in the World), leave out from "should" to end and insert "benefits from the defence, diplomatic and economic connections that it shares with the rest of the UK; highlights the massive amount of capacity building that would be required of an independent Scotland in areas such as defence and procurement, intelligence and cyber security, and diplomatic presence and expertise just to replicate the benefits that Scotland currently enjoys as part of the UK; encourages the Scottish and UK governments to work more closely together to ensure that Brand Scotland’s unique contributions and innovations are better sold across the world, and understands that, in an increasingly turbulent geopolitical situation, the interests and security of Scotland are significantly better served under the umbrella of its existing membership of NATO, as part of the UK, than by severing those connections and seeking to build them from scratch." followed by Decision Time followed by Members' Business — S6M-12285 Emma Harper: Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2024 That the Parliament recognises that the week of 26 February to 3 March is Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2024, and that the theme for 2024 is avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID); understands that eating disorders affect one in 50 people across Scotland and the wider UK, and that more people lose their lives due to eating disorders than any other mental health condition; further understands that ARFID is a largely unknown and misunderstood eating disorder, which can have serious consequences for health if left untreated; considers that the number of people affected by ARFID is unknown, and that treatment is not currently available nationwide, with many people with ARFID, or those who suspect they may have the condition, reporting difficulty in accessing treatment and support both in Scotland and across the whole of the UK; welcomes the work of Beat Eating Disorders, a UK-wide charity working to support those living with eating disorders, and their families; understands that, in 2023 alone, Beat provided more support in Scotland than ever before thanks to what it sees as generous funding from the Scottish Government, but that demand has been so high that Beat reports that it has had to pause sign-ups to many of its programmes; welcomes the Scottish Government’s funding of £120 million in 2022 for the Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund, with a focus on additional support for mental health in primary care settings and enhanced community support; notes the calls for the Scottish Government to provide an update on its current work to support all those impacted by an eating disorder, and to set out how it will ensure that crucial eating disorder services are protected within what it considers to be the challenging fiscal landscape, and further notes that anyone in Scotland with concerns about an eating disorder can seek support either from their GP surgery, which can point them to the most appropriate healthcare provider, or from Beat, which can be contacted seven days a week on 0808 801 0432 or through its helpful website, beateatingdisorders.org.uk.