That this House congratulates Dr Jennifer Garden of Edinburgh South on being awarded a £15,000 Fellowship at the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science UK and Ireland awards in Parliament; acknowledges that her research on finding sustainable alternatives for conventional polymers can play a vital role in tackling the growing environmental implications of single-use plastics; recognises that her research meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations, as she works towards developing new catalytic routes towards unique degradable polymers from CO2; notes that this award will put her closer to achieving her goal of becoming a global leader in sustainable polymerisation catalysis; further recognises that women now make up 43.2 per cent of the total science professional workforce in the UK and play a vital role in the science sector; believes that the For Women in Science UK and Ireland programme further enhances the position of women in science by awarding fellowships to outstanding female scientists; further acknowledges the urgent need to tackle plastic pollution as one of today’s great environmental challenges; and calls on the Government to utilise Dr Garden's innovative research in order to meet the UK's climate change reduction commitments.

That this House congratulates Dr Jennifer Garden of Edinburgh South on being awarded a £15,000 Fellowship at the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science UK and Ireland awards in Parliament; acknowledges that her research on finding sustainable alternatives for conventional polymers can play a vital role in tackling the growing environmental...

That this House congratulates Polwarth Parish Church of Scotland in Edinburgh on opening a beautiful peace garden in its grounds on the banks of the Union canal dedicated to brave nurses and others who evacuated wounded military personnel on barges along canals in Belgium and France during the First World War; recognises the efforts of Professor Yvonne McEwen, director of Scotland’s War 1914-1919, and volunteers who turned a dream into reality; acknowledges that Polwarth Parish Church, known as the Kirk on the Canal, has entered into a partnership with the People Know How charity to raise money to purchase a barge, which will be moored at a pontoon outside the church and used for spiritual and educational pursuits; wishes the church and charity well with the All Aboard fundraising initiative, which will contribute to the ongoing regeneration of the canal as an cultural asset for Edinburgh, bring people from all walks of life together and enable People Know How to enhance the support that they offer to children and young people; and praises the work of Reverend Jack Holt and his dedicated team.

That this House congratulates Polwarth Parish Church of Scotland in Edinburgh on opening a beautiful peace garden in its grounds on the banks of the Union canal dedicated to brave nurses and others who evacuated wounded military personnel on barges along canals in Belgium and France during the First World...

That this House notes the voice and real concerns of young people on climate change and the future of the planet and of human-kind; recognises the latest warnings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the need for urgent radical action to minimise the catastrophic impacts of climate change; calls on the Government to increase the 2050 Greenhouse Gas emission reduction target in the Climate Change Act from 80 per cent to 100 per cent; asks the Government to meet representatives of the UK Student Climate Network and consider their demands for the Government to declare a climate emergency, to prioritise the protection of life on Earth, to take active steps to achieve climate justice, to reform the national curriculum to address the ecological crisis as an educational priority, to communicate the severity of the ecological crisis and the need to act now to the general public and to recognise that young people have the biggest stake in our future by incorporating youth views into policy making and by reducing the voting age to 16; congratulates young people on taking a strong stand on this issue; and further calls on the Government to respond to those demands and to present a plan of action to the House by 31 May 2019.

That this House notes the voice and real concerns of young people on climate change and the future of the planet and of human-kind; recognises the latest warnings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the need for urgent radical action to minimise the catastrophic impacts of climate change;...

That this House notes the sad passing of eight-year old Luke Stewart and six-year old Alex Logan who both died in July 2018 from Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG); recognises their fight against this rare brain tumour and the bravery of their families in campaigning for better and more effective treatments, in particular, the stoic and determined campaigning of Luke Stewart's mother, Jennifer Stewart and his grandad Robert Ure; and calls on the Government to recognise and commemorate their young lives and the sacrifices of their families by improving the care and treatment available on the NHS for people with DIPG, to work with specialists across the world to seek better diagnosis and cure and to allocate additional funding for research and development into this disease.

That this House notes the sad passing of eight-year old Luke Stewart and six-year old Alex Logan who both died in July 2018 from Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG); recognises their fight against this rare brain tumour and the bravery of their families in campaigning for better and more effective...

That this House acknowledges the community work of Ann Sutherland from Liberton, Edinburgh; expresses profound sympathy to her family, especially her daughter Karen and husband Ian, at her passing; celebrates her work with the influential Liberton Association and the passion she showed for the local community in Liberton; further acknowledges her expertise as a Map Librarian and long-term member of the British Cartography Society that resulted in her being named an Honorary Fellow; notes that the local community will be much diminished as a result of her passing; and calls on the House to acknowledge the contribution of Ann Sutherland in her professional and community career and recognise and support the valuable role that community champions make to our communities.

That this House acknowledges the community work of Ann Sutherland from Liberton, Edinburgh; expresses profound sympathy to her family, especially her daughter Karen and husband Ian, at her passing; celebrates her work with the influential Liberton Association and the passion she showed for the local community in Liberton; further acknowledges...

That this House recognises the achievements of community stalwart Ann Burn MBE from Moredun, Edinburgh; expresses profound sympathy and regret to her family at her passing; celebrates her life dedicated to her local community in Moredun that resulted in her being granted an MBE for her work in the community; acknowledges that Moredun, the wider area and, in particular, the Moredun community centre will be much diminished as a result of her passing; and calls on the House to acknowledge the contribution of Ann Burn and recognise and support the valuable role that community champions make to our communities.

That this House recognises the achievements of community stalwart Ann Burn MBE from Moredun, Edinburgh; expresses profound sympathy and regret to her family at her passing; celebrates her life dedicated to her local community in Moredun that resulted in her being granted an MBE for her work in the community;...

That this House congratulates Edinburgh-based Tap into IT on its laudable endeavours to improve the quality of life of people who are most at risk of social isolation; notes that Tap into IT was founded in 2008 by Mike Ellis, and now operates as a Social Enterprise to enable older adults, particularly those over 65, to get online for the first time and to develop basic skills for their own and others' benefits; further notes that it does this by teaching older people to use email and the internet, and helping them to get more out of the web and digital technology; notes that it promotes social inclusion by offering voluntary and paid work experience, forging partnerships with community networks and organisations with an interest in the welfare of vulnerable groups, and providing its services in a community setting; is aware that more than 20 per cent of the population are aged over 65, and that there has been a rapid rise in the number of single-person households; believes that more must be done to tackle the causal connections between social isolation and loneliness, and poor outcomes in older people's mental and physical health; and applauds and commends the excellent work of Tap into IT in improving the IT skills of older people, supporting digital inclusion, and working to promote social inclusion.

That this House congratulates Edinburgh-based Tap into IT on its laudable endeavours to improve the quality of life of people who are most at risk of social isolation; notes that Tap into IT was founded in 2008 by Mike Ellis, and now operates as a Social Enterprise to enable older...

That this House welcomes the announcement that the Green Investment Bank's Offshore Wind Fund has exceeded its original £1 billion investment target; notes that the Fund is the world's first dedicated offshore wind fund and Europe's largest dedicated renewable energy fund, providing long-term institutional investors with the opportunity to access the UK's green infrastructure sector; understands that the six projects the Fund has invested in have a capacity of 1.45GW producing over 4,500 GWh renewable electricity each year, resulting in the avoidance of almost 2 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, and that the portfolio will also result in avoidance of emissions to air and consumption of fossil fuel; believes that the announcement is a strong indicator of the growing maturity of the UK offshore wind sector; further notes with concern reports that the Green Investment Bank will be asset stripped if it is transferred to the private sector; and calls on the Government immediately to halt the proposed sale of the Green Investment Bank.

That this House welcomes the announcement that the Green Investment Bank's Offshore Wind Fund has exceeded its original £1 billion investment target; notes that the Fund is the world's first dedicated offshore wind fund and Europe's largest dedicated renewable energy fund, providing long-term institutional investors with the opportunity to access...

That this House is extremely concerned about the announcement made by Post Office Ltd to close and franchise the Morningside Road Crown Post Office in Edinburgh; notes that this is a result of a series of significant cost-cutting measures undertaken by Post Office Ltd following its separation from Royal Mail, a reduction in government funding of 60 per cent and a transformation programme to cut costs; further notes that where franchising has occurred in other areas services and staffing levels have been reduced, and footfall in the shopping area has dropped; and calls on the Government and Post Office Ltd to listen to local residents and small businesses, abandon this franchising proposal, invest in the current Morningside Road Crown Post Office so that it remains at the heart of the community and fulfil the promise made in 2010 to make local Post Offices the front office of Government to save our cherished Post Offices.

That this House is extremely concerned about the announcement made by Post Office Ltd to close and franchise the Morningside Road Crown Post Office in Edinburgh; notes that this is a result of a series of significant cost-cutting measures undertaken by Post Office Ltd following its separation from Royal Mail,...

That this House notes with concern the publication of UNISON's annual Violence at Work Survey 2016, which shows that over 40,000 violent assaults against public service workers in Scotland were recorded over the last year; further notes that for employees of Scottish local authorities alone, the number of violent assaults has increased from 13,206 to 17,605 in the last year; believes that this is a shameful statistic and that it is unacceptable for workers to be exposed to such levels of abuse in their workplaces; further believes that the high incidence of abuse is linked to cuts to local authority budgets due to UK and Scottish Government policy decisions, which have resulted in reductions to essential funding and cuts to vital services; recognises that public service workers continue to perform vital functions to a high standard, despite being subjected to increased abuse and sustained cuts with negligible increases in pay; and calls on the Government to end austerity to ensure public services are protected and public service workers can go to work free from the threat of violence and abuse.

That this House notes with concern the publication of UNISON's annual Violence at Work Survey 2016, which shows that over 40,000 violent assaults against public service workers in Scotland were recorded over the last year; further notes that for employees of Scottish local authorities alone, the number of violent assaults...

That this House calls on FIFA to permit the teams of both England and Scotland to commemorate those that gave the ultimate sacrifice by wearing the poppy during their World Cup qualifying match at Wembley on Armistice Day; notes that the poppy should not be seen as a political symbol but as a worldwide emblem of solidarity, peace and remembrance; further notes that this is additionally poignant given that 2016 is the centenary of the battle of the Somme when so many from all sides were killed or injured; and acknowledges that there is no better way to spread the message of peace and remembrance than in a high profile World Cup qualifying match where most of those watching and participating would have had loved ones and friends killed or injured serving their country, lest we forget.

That this House calls on FIFA to permit the teams of both England and Scotland to commemorate those that gave the ultimate sacrifice by wearing the poppy during their World Cup qualifying match at Wembley on Armistice Day; notes that the poppy should not be seen as a political symbol...

That this House recognises the 28 year career of St Peter's Primary School Deputy Head, Morag Jamieson who retires at the end of October; congratulates her on a lifetime of public-service in education; wishes her well in her retirement; celebrates the significant contribution that teachers like Ms Jamieson make to the lives of young people; further recognises that investment in our young people is a major economic driver; and thanks Morag Jamieson for all she has achieved in her distinguished career.

That this House recognises the 28 year career of St Peter's Primary School Deputy Head, Morag Jamieson who retires at the end of October; congratulates her on a lifetime of public-service in education; wishes her well in her retirement; celebrates the significant contribution that teachers like Ms Jamieson make to...

That this House welcomes the Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) report, Paying More to be Poor, which examines the causes and impacts of the poverty premium on low income consumers in Scotland; applauds CAS for its work drawing attention to this issue and highlighting the ways in which low income consumers pay more for essential goods and services; understands that such consumers are more likely to use more expensive payment methods, such as pre-payment energy meters and pay-as-you-go mobile telephones; believes that those consumers can also have high repayment burdens for credit and loans and that these costs can have negative physical and mental health effects; and further welcomes the commitment by CAS to working with interested stakeholders across the public, private and third sectors, and the UK and Scottish Governments, to tackle the poverty premium at its root.

That this House welcomes the Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) report, Paying More to be Poor, which examines the causes and impacts of the poverty premium on low income consumers in Scotland; applauds CAS for its work drawing attention to this issue and highlighting the ways in which low income consumers...

That this House welcomes the fact that passengers on the Scotrail network benefit from the protection of a highly-trained railway conductor or guard; notes that the conductor must be fully trained in operational safety and route knowledge, including protecting the train and acting in emergencies such as derailments, fires, driver incapacitation and is also responsible for safely securing the doors and protecting the platform train interface; further welcomes that the conductor safety role means passengers are guaranteed to have a conductor on board their train at all times to provide advice, assurance and assistance and to look after disabled, older and other passengers who may be vulnerable; believes that this train guard guarantee is even more relevant at a time of growing passenger numbers and heightened security threats; is therefore concerned that Scotrail is seeking to introduce driver-only operation, which could jeopardise passenger safety and service by removing conductors, meaning that the driver will be expected to drive the train whilst at the same time being responsible for passenger safety; further notes that RMT members voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action to oppose driver-only operation and that the vast majority of passengers also oppose driver-only operation; calls on Scotrail to reach a negotiated settlement with trade unions and withdraw any proposals for driver-only operation; and further calls on the Scottish Government to intervene to resolve the dispute as the awarder of the train franchise to the Dutch-government owned Abellio.

That this House welcomes the fact that passengers on the Scotrail network benefit from the protection of a highly-trained railway conductor or guard; notes that the conductor must be fully trained in operational safety and route knowledge, including protecting the train and acting in emergencies such as derailments, fires, driver...

That this House acknowledges the democratic will of the people of Scotland to remain in the EU and the UK; notes that there are 173,000 EU citizens living in Scotland who have developed strong friendships and affirms that they remain welcome and that their contribution to Scotland's economy, society and culture is valued; urges the Government to conduct discussions with the Scottish Government, and include the Scottish Government in any discussions with EU institutions and members states, to explore options for protecting Scotland's relationship with the EU, Scotland's place in the single market and the social, employment and economic benefits that derive from that; asks that the Government produce regular reports of the progress of any such discussions and lays them before both the UK and Scottish parliaments; and calls on the Government to uphold the democratic will of the Scottish people that Scotland remain in the EU and the UK.

That this House acknowledges the democratic will of the people of Scotland to remain in the EU and the UK; notes that there are 173,000 EU citizens living in Scotland who have developed strong friendships and affirms that they remain welcome and that their contribution to Scotland's economy, society and...

That this House expresses its concern at the decision by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) to close the Edinburgh office of ChildLine at the end of August; notes that, if carried out, this will result in the redundancy of 14 staff, 100 volunteer posts and a cut of 16,000 hours of telephone, email and online chat-based counselling for those children most in need; considers that, since opening in 2008 with an injection of over 300,000 from the then Scottish Executive, ChildLine Edinburgh has provided an outstanding level of service; pays tribute to the work of the highly-skilled and trained managers, staff and volunteers from across east central Scotland and Fife, who have helped ChildLine make a difference to the lives of so many children and young people across the country in their time of need; recognises the concerns of staff and volunteers regarding these proposals; further considers that they have been both poorly informed and poorly consulted whilst acknowledging the slight increase in the consultation period timetable; believes that the loss of this talented pool of highly motivated staff and volunteers to the ChildLine service would be a serious blow to the voluntary sector in Edinburgh; and urges the NSPCC to reconsider the consequences of its decision for children who use this critical service and for the staff and volunteers who make it happen.

That this House expresses its concern at the decision by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) to close the Edinburgh office of ChildLine at the end of August; notes that, if carried out, this will result in the redundancy of 14 staff, 100 volunteer posts...

That this House congratulates Bethany Christian Trust, a homeless charity based in Edinburgh that engages volunteers to help people successfully make the transition from homelessness to independent living, on receiving one of the most prestigious accolades awarded at the UK charity sector Charity Awards 2011; acknowledges that Bethany was the only Scottish charity to win an award; commends Bethany's Passing the Baton initiative that seeks to address the issue of repeat admissions to its hostel accommodation as individuals return after failing to sustain their new tenancy, trains volunteers to help individuals build their own social networks and supports them to settle into their new homes and integrate into their local community; pays tribute to Bethany in its receipt of the Effectiveness award; and thanks all its staff, volunteers and supporters for their unstinting commitment in achieving this award.

That this House congratulates Bethany Christian Trust, a homeless charity based in Edinburgh that engages volunteers to help people successfully make the transition from homelessness to independent living, on receiving one of the most prestigious accolades awarded at the UK charity sector Charity Awards 2011; acknowledges that Bethany was the...

That this House congratulates Edinburgh South's Craigour Primary School P6a class in the publication of their children's book, Liam and the Alien; commends the Head Teacher, Carol Cameron, and class teacher Jenny Avern on this innovative project in conjunction with the South Edinburgh Healthy Living Initiative and Mary Thomson at Pencilling Creative Ideas; and acknowledges the collaboration of students from the Edinburgh College of Art, who illustrated the book, and all the authors, who came from class P6a.

That this House congratulates Edinburgh South's Craigour Primary School P6a class in the publication of their children's book, Liam and the Alien; commends the Head Teacher, Carol Cameron, and class teacher Jenny Avern on this innovative project in conjunction with the South Edinburgh Healthy Living Initiative and Mary Thomson at...

That this House congratulates Andrew Murray of Scotland2Sahara.com on his successful completion of a 2,659 mile run from John O'Groats to the Sahara Desert to raise money for the Yamaa Trust that aims to ameliorate poverty in Mongolia;notes the 69,000 already raised; and acknowledges that the fundraising efforts of Andrew Murray are not only benefiting the people of Mongolia but are encouraging local people, both young and old, to exercise and get fit.

That this House congratulates Andrew Murray of Scotland2Sahara.com on his successful completion of a 2,659 mile run from John O'Groats to the Sahara Desert to raise money for the Yamaa Trust that aims to ameliorate poverty in Mongolia;notes the 69,000 already raised; and acknowledges that the fundraising efforts of Andrew...

That this House notes the success of the Barred Campaign founded by Mark Cooper and endorsed by Capability Scotland and supported by other disability charities to improve disabled access information to pubs; considers that their hard work resulted in a change to the law which means for the first time licensees will have to consider the needs of disabled customers when applying for a licence by providing access information about their premises and also means that disabled people will have access to vital information when planning a social occasion; and calls on the Government to make similar information available in the rest of the United Kingdom so that no one is excluded from a social occasion on the grounds of disability or where they may live.

That this House notes the success of the Barred Campaign founded by Mark Cooper and endorsed by Capability Scotland and supported by other disability charities to improve disabled access information to pubs; considers that their hard work resulted in a change...