That the Parliament notes the publication of Scotland in the Red 2024, by the debt charity, StepChange Scotland; considers this a flagship report on personal debt, providing an insight on what life is like for people, in every local authority area, who are experiencing problem debt; understands that the average unsecured debt for a family with children has risen sharply to £18,953 and the average level of arrears has soared to £5,193, which, it believes, is an increase of 61% on 2023 levels; further understands that, after paying essential bills, the charity's clients claiming universal credit, including those in Central Scotland, are left with an average of just £6 per month for everything else; commends the work of StepChange Scotland, which supported over 40,000 clients in 2024 who owe a total of £343 million of debt and £21 million in arrears on their household bills; believes that it is Scotland’s largest debt charity, and acknowledges that it works towards a vision of a society free from problem debt.