Welcome to the 34th meeting in 2019 of the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee. Before we move to our first agenda item, I remind everyone to switch off their mobile phones or put them on silent, as they may affect the broadcasting system.
I highlight to our panellists that you do not have to press any buttons on the console. Broadcasting does all that for you. All that you need do is speak.
Agenda item 1 is evidence at stage 1 on the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill. The first panel will focus on wildlife crime issues that are connected with the bill. I am delighted to welcome Ian Thomson, head of investigations, RSPB Scotland; Karen Ramoo, policy adviser, Scottish Land & Estates; Ross Ewing, political and press officer, British Association for Shooting and Conservation Scotland; Dr Ruth Tingay, raptor ecologist, Raptor Persecution UK; Eddie Palmer, chairman, Scottish Badgers; Les George, gamekeeper and Scottish Gamekeepers Association committee member; and Liz Ferrell, Scottish Environment LINK wildlife crime sub-group convener and Scottish officer, Bat Conservation Trust. Good morning to you all.
We will move to questions. As we have a panel, we will not necessarily direct questions to each of you. If, as we discuss the various themes, you want to answer or give your point of view on anything, just raise your hand in the air. We will note that and get to you eventually.
I will start off by asking about the evidence base for increasing penalties for wildlife crime. What are the wildlife crime trends? How are the available penalties being used? Are there instances where those penalties have been considered insufficient? If anyone wants to come in and give us a view on what has been happening to date, I would be very grateful.