 The next item of business is a member's business debate on motion number 1815, the name of Jeremy Balfour, on the 100th anniversary of the Cub Scouts. The debate will be concluded. If people would just leave quietly, please. The debate will be concluded without any questions being put with those members who wish to speak in the debate. Please press the request to speak buttons now. I call on Jeremy Balfour to open the debate. Seven minutes, please, Mr Balfour. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. It's a great pleasure to open this member's debate on the 100th anniversary of the Cubs. Can I thank all the members of different parties who supported the motion that I put down? Can I also give a big welcome to some Cubs, their parents and leaders here from Malovians who were in the public gallery this evening? The first public promise that I ever gave was when I joined the Cubs a few years ago. I still remember the words. I promise that I will do my best to do my duty to God and the Queen to help other people and keep the Cub Scout law. Scouting began in 1907, and in January 1914, a pilot programme for younger boys named Wolf Cubs or Genius Scouts was launched. Within 12 months, 10,000 boys had already joined. After a two-year trial, it was decided to put Wolf Cubs to an official standing within the Boys Scout Association. On 16 December, a launch was held in London. When the club section was formed in 1916, it was for eight to ten-year-olds, and they were called Wolf Scouts. It wasn't until 1967 that the name changed to Cub Scouts. Cub Scouts have always been at the heart of the community. They have always been part of what they do. During the war, Cubs joined many different communities in helping out. Cookin, First Aid and many of them knitted socks and other things for the armed forces in the trenches. When children were evacuated, often their cub pack went with them so that they had familiar surroundings in difficult times. Community is still at the heart of Scouting today. Last week, it was the Scout community week, or those of us who are slightly older will remember as Bobber Job week, when people helped out with barbs, picked litter and helped out in different local events. Cubs have been making a difference in our communities for 100 years. This year, there is a special focus on four key issues—improving the lives of those affected by dementia, improving the lives of the disabled, improving the mental wellbeing, and the resilience of families as a global movement, ensuring that people everywhere can have clean water and sanitation. As well as fun, friendship and adventure, the Cub Scouts are also prepared for life. In the Cub Scouts, young people get a chance to try out lots of different activities and many adventures. Children and young people get the opportunity to learn to love those types of things by working together. The Cubs believe that adventure is part of a vehicle for us. I remember very clearly on my first night scraping both knees and getting three stitches thanks to the games that we played in that activity. It is good to learn how to play in the woods, to build dens, to go on walks, to go camping. Being in the Cub Scouts allows young people to take part not only in individual things but in team building by doing things together, to work out how you have responsibilities, to make choice and, yes, to take risks as well. Scouting has developed non-formal education to young people for more than a century, and it helps to find their potential. Preparing Cubs for the future, whether in higher education or employment, is at the heart of their movement. It is not just prepared for camping, it is prepared for life. The encouraging thing here in Scotland is that the figures are encouraging to release in April this year so that, after 10 years of consecutive growth, Cubs Scouts Scotland now has the highest membership numbers this century. The continuing priority of Scouting movement means that there are now 46,095 members in Scotland. That is up from 3.9 per cent last year. That makes for Scouts the largest co-educational movement in Scotland. The Cubs currently have 12,549 members and are the fastest-growing section, and the only reason they cannot take more is not the lack of children but the lack of adults who can volunteer to look after the packs. Cubs Scouts across Scotland are taking part in activities to mark this century. Lighter this month, I hope to attend my own pack celebration here in Edinburgh. Hundreds of events have been held already this year. Adventure camping has taken place. People have learnt how to do archery, climbing, giant games and far more. Looking into the year in December, the official birthday of Cubs will be seen on 16 December. This is the day in 1916 when World Cubs were launched. Cubs and former Cubs from right across the country will retake their promise at 7.16 pm on 16 December to mark the century and to launch the next century of Cubs Scouting. Activities will take place across our country. I am happy that this debate is taking place. I am happy to celebrate the 100th anniversary. It is a wonderful milestone. It is a wonderful acknowledgement of the youth development. I am proud to be part of this history and wish them lots of luck with the on-going celebration. Here is to another year of growth and making the world a better place. Stuart Stevenson, four minutes please. Thank you very much. Let me start by congratulating Jeremy Balfour on giving us the opportunity to collectively and individually revisit, in my case, the many decades that have passed since I was a boy scout. 100th anniversary is a very significant anniversary, so let me, like others, wish them a very happy anniversary on 16 December, a very happy birthday. The purpose of Cubs Scouts is to support young people in their personal development and empower them to contribute to their community. You may find it difficult to believe, but I was a shy, introverted young man when I joined the Cubs. Absolutely true. Just believe me. The Cubs Scouts were a very important part of my personal and social development. I learned lots of useful skills, how to make a tinker's oven so that you could cook a rabbit by coating it in clay, digging a hole, sticking it in the hole, putting a fire on top of it, coming back an hour later and then deliciously eating said rabbit, prefaced by how to cook a potato by throwing it in a fire and then peeling the burn bits off afterwards. A start to a culinary expedition that I've continued throughout my life with no success whatsoever my wife would absolutely tell me. I have the scars, physical and, fortunately, no mental, on my body, like so many other Cubs Scouts. Not in Jeremy's case, as in Jeremy's case, but on my knee, but on the end of my time. On my tongue, where having been tied up and running across the floor, hopping, somebody then pulled the rope that was round my legs while I was in mid-air, causing me to pull-axe. When my chin hit the floor to impale my front teeth on the end of my tongue, it's still there and you can come and see it if you wish. Aiden Powell, who brought the idea of scouting from South Africa and his experiences there, was somebody who has inspired generations of Cubs Scouts guides and so on. In Peterhead we have a Cubs Scout leader called Corey Tocher and he exemplifies the spirit of the movement. A few months ago Corey travelled down to London to donate stem cells for the Anthony Nolan Trust and he's made a donation that may save somebody's life. His values and the values of the Scout movement are part of what he is and all who are in his cub pack. Those values translate into a way of life. The original Christian promise is now one that encompasses people of all faiths and of none. It now in the Scout movement allows girls to join the Scouts as well. The Scout law states that a Scout belongs to a world-wide family of Scouts and a Scout must have self-respect and respect for others. My time, I used to correspond internationally and swap badges and I ended up with a blanket that was just covered in Scout badges of one sort or another. That was part of becoming aware of the world as well as becoming aware of my own potential and the potential of other people. It's just terrific to be able to step back to that period in the 1950s when I was a cub. Terrific to see that the organisation continues to grow and thrive in this day. May I wish it all the best for the next 100 years? As a former Brownian girl guide, it is a pleasure to take part in this debate and one that marks a tremendous achievement in the history of cobscouts. I thank Jeremy Balfour for bringing it forward as a member's debate. Not to compete with Stuart Stevenson, but I learnt how to slice a banana, fill it with chocolate, wrap it in silver foil and bake it in a fire. I had two blankets covered with medals. 100 years is a long time and it is testament to the great work being done that we are paying accolades to such an achievement. Unquestionably, cobscouts will evolve as it has and last in maturity. After a career in the army in a successful book named Aids to Scouting, Robert Baden Powell held an experimental camp on Brownsie Island in Dorset to try out his ideas. He brought together 22 boys, some from private schools and some from working-class homes and took them camping under his leadership. That was to be considered the starting point of the scout movement in 1907. Global membership now stands at 31 million in 216 countries, with girls and boys aged between 6 and 25. I am pleased that the 100th anniversary will see a strong focus on participation in activities. Promise parties will be held and are also important—an idea to renew and promise the promise that made such a success of the scouts. Again, it is this sense of identity and commitment to doing their best and doing good that has created such a strong and positive legacy. Thanks events will take place right across the UK. Those will recognise all those people who made the cobscouts a success over years and to celebrate their voluntary contribution. I would like to pay particular tribute to Sir Garth Morrison of West Fenton. Sir Garth held many positions once the area commission for East Lothian and chief commissioner for Scotland, chief scout for the UK and overseas territories and later appointed to the Order of the Fistle by the Queen in 2007. He was knighted for his contribution to voluntary work. Sir Garth received those accolades because he helped to grow the scouting movement in Scotland and the wider world. He made it more appealing by tackling stereotypes and played a key role in the inclusion of girls and even relaxed the dress code of the uniform. Another is Jack Robb from the Borders. Jack Robb, district commissioner for Roxburgh, founded the brass monkey camp in 1968. This is of course where the famous brass monkey Nekkerchief came to exist, awarded to boarders who valiantly spent a night under canvas in November, December, January or February, with certification from their leader as proof to gain membership into the brass monkey group. Jack Robb created a positive legacy, which is present today throughout the Borders and south of Scotland scout groups. The Borders now has groups from EyeMouth to Hoyke, an example of the interesting and inspiring work in the Borders can be found by Kelso scout group. The group recently became space biologists when they sowed seeds that had ventured into space. The group will grow these galactic seeds alongside normal seeds and log their differences. Such a story really is a shining example of what the work that the scouts do. Scouts are of course present in East Lothian. The Dunbar group recently ventured to Wintercamp at Kielder, where they drove tanks like our leader Ruth Davidson. Clearly all these groups do fantastic work to develop new skills and provide fresh and exciting experiences for members. I am thrilled by the depth of opportunity the scouts provide in the south of Scotland and long may it continue for another 100 years. Such stories clearly reflect the importance that we place on these groups. Scout groups make up the core fabric of each community that they reside in, bringing together those from all backgrounds and promoting core promises of doing their best and doing good for our community. I can only reiterate what I said in my opening remarks. I am delighted to take part in this debate and highlight the great work that the scouts have done for the last 100 years and long may their good work continue. I thank Jeremy Balfour for bringing this very joyful debate to the chamber tonight. I congratulate the Cub Scout movement on your 100th birthday. From this position I can spot six Cub Scouts in the gallery tonight. I tell you that everyone aspires to celebrate their 100th birthday to live that long, but to maintain the beauty and vibrancy of being around eight to ten years old is something that we all aspire to. I will talk tonight a little bit about the values of the Cub Scout movement. I think that for many children across the country, across the world that has been involved in the Bays and Pows movement, they have learned invaluable skills that allows them to take through their lives. Teamwork, problem solving, fitness, loyalty and discipline. I saw those values and skills in action just a few weeks ago when, for the movement's 100th birthday, I spent a lovely Monday evening visiting the 20th Dundee Cub Scouts group. We had a fantastic evening. We were making paths out of sticks and stones outside, doing a little bit of path finding. We played games inside and I saw some of the training that the very dedicated leaders were putting the boys and girls through for their competitions. The 20th Dundee Scouts group actually won awards at the camps that are mentioned in the motion tonight. The community that they are in values the work that those leaders do. I would like to pause on that for a minute, Deputy Presiding Officer, because I think that the whole country owes a great debt to the leaders of the Cub Scout movement, the Scout movement and indeed the Rainbows, Brownies and Guides movement. Those people give up so many of hours of their weeks, countless evenings and I know that so many of them have a lifelong commitment to the movement on a voluntary basis. Some started out as Cubs and Scouts themselves and have taken their commitment to the movement right through. I think that that commitment and that experience is absolutely invaluable and I think that you should be saluted for the service that you give to our communities. Let's be under no doubt that communities across the country need those groups. I was saddened that night, although I was aware that that was happening to discover that there were fewer Cub Scouts and Brownie and Guides groups in Dundee than certainly when I was a Brownie and a guide at the 31st Logie St John's Cross. I think that events such as this debate in Parliament today and I was very pleased to hear Jeremy Balfour say that the numbers are going up. I think that that is very important because I think that all children need to have access to the great values and opportunities that this movement provides. For me, on a very personal level, I have very happy memories of going to Brownies on a Friday night and my brother going into the cub hall next door at that time. It was not a co-ed organisation and skipping out afterwards for a can of ginger beer and a sherbet lolly habits that I still like to do today. I think that for lots of young people across this country, the movement brings great joy and great values to our communities. Finally, I just like to say that I think that retaking the promise is a very fitting way for current Cub Scouts and those retired Cub Scouts, perhaps like Stuart Stevenson and Jeremy Balfour themselves, to rekindle their love and value of the movement. I call David Torrance, who is followed by John Scott. I would like to refer members to my register of interests. I would also like to thank Jeremy Balfour for securing this debate on the 100th anniversary of the Cub Scouts today and to welcome members of the Scouts Association to the chamber today. Presiding Officer, I have been involved with the Scouts movement for most of my life and remained as committed today as a leader in the fifth five scout group Cercody. I try saying fifth five scout group fast. I recall as a young boy of eight attending my first Cub meeting, the killer leader of the pack, a lovely woman called Mary Pearson, took me through the introduction of Scouting before showing me to my sixth of grades. Never did I think that on that cold March night in 1969, my first steps into scouting would lead me on such an incredible journey that would last for the rest of my life. Scouting was started in 1907 by Lord Bain Powell of Goodwill. Following the experiment camp on Brownsley Island, which 20 boys attended, in the very short time Scouting became extremely successful across the whole of the UK. As boys were required to be aged 11 or over to participate, Scouts' hoops were faced with a growing problem of younger siblings who were also wanted to be part of his grand adventure. To resolve his problem, Bain Powell created the wolf cubs in 1916 for these younger boys who were keen to join the scout movement. The wolf cubs are based upon Rudard Kippman's jungle book. Leaders take their names from the story and the groups are called Packs. Packs comprise of 60s with one six turn charge. Every weekly meeting begins and ends with a grand howl. This format of wolf cubs lasted some 50 years until 1966, when the Chief Scout Advanced Party report made several recommendations. Changes implemented in 1967 as a result of its report included changing the names to Cubs Scouts and the new progressive training scheme of Bronze, Silver and Gold Arrow awards. I remember these awards well as it was every boy's goal to achieve the gold accolade. Since 1967 there have been many and more various changes to the Cubs section, including badge work, the uniform and how a section has run. The most significant change occurred in 1990, with the introduction of girls into all sections of Scouting. This move brought with it fresh challenges to an organisation that had been male dominated for so long. The Cubs Scout section aims to be accessible, inclusive and encourages participation from every member of the local community. This is demonstrated in the Cubs Scout promise, which reflects the range of faiths, beliefs and attitudes in Scotland. While working towards the badges, Cubs try to avoid range of different activities, with participation and personal development being fundamental. By working together in team activities, the children gain a sense of belonging whilst helping each other to succeed, they learn and develop skills that ultimately enable them to become better citizens. While being a Scout is indeed fun, it also teaches real life skills, helping to prepare children for the future and to realise the full potential. This modern approach has allowed a continued growth of Scouting in Scotland. This year's membership census shows a 10th consecutive year of growth of over 46,000 members. This success brings many additional added pressures. Many people forget that all leaders and helpers within groups are volunteers. The Scout Association recognises that they are the most important asset and are committed to ensuring that volunteers receive the best possible training and support. Adults working in Scouting across the UK contributed an excess of 364 million hours of voluntary work each year in their local communities. Within my own district of Cacoddy, we have 11 Scout groups consisting of total membership of 739, 202 of which are Cubs Scouts. A number of those members attended the Big Birthday Bash 100 Cubs centenary camp at Fordow Furson in June of this year. This event was only one of the numbers that was held to mark the milestone in their history. If it had not been for the skills and enthusiasm of a certain Cubs leader over 40 years ago, would my journey through Cubs to Scouts venture Scouts then on to become a leader ever happened? Cubs was the starting point of my introduction into Scouting, which has now continued for 47 years with the same group. I believe that the success of the Cubs Scouts over the past 100 years can be attributed to the drive, dedication and passion of its volunteers, regardless of what challenges they are faced with. The commitment to Scouting family is admirable. I once again would like to thank Jeremy Balford for bringing this debate to Parliament and wish not only Cubs but the entire Scouting movement worldwide all the best for the future. I call John Scott for all but Alison Johnstone and Alison Johnstone will be the last speaker in the open debate. I begin by thanking my party for inviting me to take part in this debate, as well as congratulating Jeremy Balford on having his motion 100th anniversary of Cubs Scouts selected for debate today. I don't think that my party knew that I was once a Cubs, certainly it's not on my CV, perhaps they just assumed I'm the sort of person who would have been a Cubs like Stuart Stevenson a long time ago, and I'm surprised and disappointed that Stuart Stevenson no longer thinks of himself as being shy and introverted. My spell in the Cubs in Barhill in South Ayrshire in the late 1950s and early 1960s was my first experience of youth organisation and was character building for me. In those days, taking the vows to become a cub was important to me at any rate and indeed still are. I'm worthy of repetition with the Cubs Scout promise being, on my honour, I promise I will do my best to do my duty to God and the Queen to help other people and to keep the Scout law, which is to always do your best to think of others before ourselves and to do a good turn every day. And with a motto like be prepared, that is just about an ethic for life, striving essentially to put others before oneself and it now seems almost an outdated concept, but I believe it is one of the set of ideals that derived from the 20th century. Formed in 1916 in the terrible year of the battle, the song self-sacrifice for country and others was expected and was made. Similarly, self-sacrifice for others during the Second World War was still up in most of the minds of my parents in the 1950s and 60s when I was a child and grew up with a huge sense of duty to leave the world a better place than the one I was born into. Which I suppose is what unites all parliamentarians in our Scottish Parliament and across the United Kingdom and the world, that is to improve on what has gone before. That we constantly disagree about how to reach the sunny uplands is more about different route maps about how to get to a promised land rather than having significantly differing objectives and we should perhaps reflect on this from time to time in the adversarial world of politics in which we live. While I was only ever a member of the Cubs, I have since becoming the MSP for air constituency, become an even greater supporter of our youth organisations and it may surprise some of you to know that I am an ambassador for the girl guides in Ershire, where whenever I meet with them I am impressed by their determination to develop their resilience and character so that they too might work in the service of others as well as for themselves. In my constituency we have six Cub Scout groups and they are the 12th and the 14th Ershire, both based in Prestwick, the 18th, 28th, 43rd and 100th, all based in Ayr and the 28th Ershire is based in Trun and I salute those organisations today. More groups exist across South Ershire and the Carrack Cymru and Doon Valley constituency, with the second Ershire formed in Ballantrae, the third Ershire based in Gervan, the 70s based in Maybowl, the 31st based in Lones, the 48th and Dondall, the 66th in Simonton and the 69th in Turbulton, the 77th in Daley, making a total of 14 groups and all, under whom I am very proud. Of course none of these district scout groups would exist without the many men and women who volunteer to help and lead these organisations and society owes them a debt of gratitude too, as others have said, and as Jeremy Balfour has pointed out, we need more volunteers to meet the growing demand for this exemplary organisation and children wishing to be part of it. In conclusion, I am delighted to be able to support Jeremy Balfour's motion today, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Cub Scouts, wishing them every success for years to come, building principle and resilience into our children and young people, as much needed today as it was 100 years ago. I thank Jeremy Balfour for securing this debate this evening. Like Rachael Hamilton, I was a brownie and a guide, but unlike Rachael Hamilton and Stuart Stevenson, it is fair to say that cooking on an open fire is not one of my skills, but perhaps my colleague David Torrance can help me in that regard. For years, I have watched excited young cubs pass my front door on the way to the local meeting of the 107th Pentland Cub Pack, and just a few months ago I moved and I now stay down the hill from the Ben Alley centre for the south-east region for scouting, and there is always a lot going on up there. Friends who are active in Cubs and Scouts tell me that demand for places has never been higher and that the only constraint on numbers is the availability of adults and other young people as leaders. I wholeheartedly back John Scott's comments that we could do more in Parliament to encourage recruitment in this area. One of the remarkable things about cubs is the sheer persistence of some age-old traditions. At the 107th Pentland Cub Troop, it maintains some of the nicknames inherited from Kipling, David Torrance alluded to those, and boys and girls nowadays still take the greatest pleasure out of activities that they could have been taking part in in the 1920s, camping in old-style tents by blacks of Greenock, cooking on and singing songs. Here in Lothian, cubs are getting out on the Craig Lockhart hills, the Pentlands, out along the water of Leith, and for sure there are activities that make full use of mobile phones, tablets and apps, but all within the context of young people enjoying many of the same things they've enjoyed for decades. Other things have changed too. Cub packs, as we've heard, can have as many girls as boys now, and the Scouting movement has recognised the need to always be ahead of the curve in recognising and celebrating difference, race or religion or disability, for example. Leaders are given very clear steers on safeguarding child welfare and tackling bullying so that Scouting can truly welcome children from all backgrounds. Scouting is a global movement, and the Messenger of Peace project is a very positive example of that. Have a look at the website and see what the projects are doing with regards to helping street gangs tackle violence in El Salvador, and in some of the most difficult conflict areas in the world, cashmere in Sudan, for example, Scouts are making a difference in local communities. Across the globe, this is happening. I urge colleagues to watch the video of the Messenger in Peace, and you'll hear from Adam in Sudan and Inda in Indonesia and Pauline in Russia, and they have really positive messages that underline our personal responsibility to contribute in our communities. Research carried out by the Scouting movement has come to one very clear conclusion. Young people go to Cubs and Scouts to go on camps and to get outside, and they leave when they don't get to do those things. Let's hope that this is a watchword for all our young people, and that Cubs have as much fun over the next 100 years as they have had in the past. I would like to thank all the participants, particularly Jeremy Balfour, for the interesting and positive debate that we have had. It has been shown by the different speeches that the memories that young children gain around the Cubs Scouts movement do certainly last a lifetime. I was delighted to hear about the positive experiences that all the members have had who have taken part in it, although slightly concerned by the injury count that kept getting mentioned at the start of the debate. This Government has an ambition for Scotland to be the best place to grow up, and I would say the best country in which to learn. I am delighted today that we have had the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contribution of the Cubs Scouts in taking forward that ambition. We in Scotland want our nation to flourish, and that cannot be done without ensuring that every single young person, no matter what their background, ethnicity, faith or experiences can find places to belong and to participate in wider community activities. In my constituency and in constituencies across Scotland, all the uniformed organisations such as the Cubs Scouts, Scouts, Girlguides and Boys Begrade are delivering a tremendous breadth of activities that contribute to young people's wellbeing, the confidence and life chances. I should declare a personal interest in that as a parent of both a brownie and a beaver, although I am not picking my beaver up from her pack tonight because I am contributing to this debate. She did think that that was a reasonable excuse for missing the pickup point. The Government places great value on the significant contribution that youth work does make and is making to help us to realise our aims, our vision for Scotland. As a Government, we want Scotland to be a place where opportunities are open to everyone and where everyone is able to contribute their talent, their skill and their commitment. We want to make sure that children and young people in all parts of Scotland, whether in our least or our most affluent areas, have a fair chance to flourish and we also want to build a strong, sustainable economy, support community empowerment and encourage democratic engagement. One of youth work's great strengths is the opportunities that it gives young people to get involved in social action and volunteering and in decision making in the heart of their communities. Youth work also has a key role in widening access to learning, delivering our ambitions for curriculum for excellence, tackling exclusion and building the capacity of communities. It has a key role in helping our young people to be successful, to be confident and effective responsible individuals that our nation desperately needs and in contributing to our focus on early intervention and prevention. Youth work, at its best, links to the communities that they are part of and engages them in local and national activities and decision making processes. It plays a key and essential role in promoting and enhancing our young people's attainment and achievement and in developing their skills for life, for work and for lifelong learning. Strengthening the partnerships between schools and youth work practitioners to recognise achievement remains a priority for the curriculum for excellence. The Cub Scouts have embraced the four capacities that underpin curriculum for excellence and GERFEC and have made them relevant and shine through in all that they do. It is hugely valuable to us that so many young people today are preparing to be active citizens and leaders. Investment in young people in Scotland today is an investment in a better future and organisations such as the Cub Scouts provide young people with a wide range of opportunities that nurture and develop those ambitions. Their achievements and the skills that they need to succeed in life. The Scottish Government supports the view that closing the attainment gap requires a very broad-based approach and the work that the Cub Scouts are doing plays a very important role in supporting our young people's attainment and achievement and developing their skills for life, work and lifelong learning. Indeed, the attainment challenge is closely aligned with scouting purposes, values and methods in that scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society. Scout youth members are equipped with skills for life, including confidence building, working in teams, leadership, decision making, planning, communication, self motivation, cultural awareness and commitment. Those so-called soft skills add value to young people and balance with a formal education are integral in reducing the attainment gap. For Cubs, excitement and adventure are key, as Alison Johnstone has mentioned, as well as fun. The programme offers a huge variety of activities that allow them to be creative and getting involved in the local community. As we have heard, Cubs are introducing exciting outdoor skills in taking part in adventure activities, as well as camps and residential experiences. Many members have described what is happening within their constituencies and the importance of the volunteers that they have met in their constituency work. I would like to place on record my thanks to the volunteers who, without whom, the Cubs Scouts and the other organisations like them would simply not be able to function. I know from my constituency how important that is. When I was looking for a local hero for the opening of Parliament, someone suggested Rodd Adamson, who has been working now with the Scout movement for 51 years. He indeed started off a cub troop in David Torrance's constituency in Kirkcaldy before the 50-year celebration of the Cubs Scouts. That cub pack is still going strong. Those volunteers and the leaders give up their time, their energy and their commitment. We can week out. They give so much to the young people and to the wider communities that they serve. We greatly value what they do. As David Torrance says, without them, the drive, the dedication and passion that they have, we would be a poorer place without it. The Cubs Scouts are providing our young people with the skills that they need to succeed in life, skills to fulfil their ambitions and skills to contribute positively in their communities, nationally and worldwide. In conclusion, I congratulate everyone involved in the 100th anniversary of the Cubs Scouts. It gives me my great pleasure to wholeheartedly support the motion tonight.