Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Official Report 336KB pdf

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Interests

I welcome everyone to the first meeting of the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee. I remind everybody to turn off mobile phones, as they can interfere with the sound system. The use of computers and similar devices is permitted.

We have received no apologies today.

Agenda item 1 is declaration of interests. That is to allow committee members to declare any interests that they have that are relevant to the work of the committee. Members have been provided with background information in the note from the clerk on this issue.

Let me start by declaring that I jointly own a registered agricultural holding of under 2 hectares, from which I derive absolutely no income.

I will go round the table in turn, starting with the convener and then the deputy convener, asking each of you in turn to declare relevant interests.

I have an interest in a farming partnership with an ancillary residential property letting business. I also have an interest in a rod and line fishery on the River Spey. Full details are disclosed in the register of members’ interests.

I am a member of the Scottish rural parliament. I am also a member of the board of directors of North Highland College.

I am vice-convener of Friends of the Far North Line. I am a Co-operative Party member and a member of Unison too, which might have a bearing at some point, but I do not think that those have a huge bearing on the committee’s work.

I have no registrable interests to declare.

I have nothing that I have to declare. On a voluntary basis, I would say that I am a chartered accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

I wish to declare that I visited Taiwan last year, paid for by the Taiwanese Government. I am the honorary president of Orbiston bowling club and an honorary member of the Scottish Showmen’s Guild. Yesterday, I had to register a badge that I have received from Scottish Racing, which entitles me to enter any racecourse in Scotland. That badge is worth between £1,000 and £1,500.

Lucky you.

I have no formal declaration. However, I voluntarily registered my participation in an internet business that owns domains and I have a strong background in the connectivity area.

I have no financial interests to declare. Something that might come up in the future is that I am a partner in a bed and breakfast business that is part of the tourism industry in Dumfries and Galloway.

I have an extensive list on the register of members’ interests, but none of the entries is relevant to the work of this committee, I would say.

I am a partner in a farming business called P Chapman & Co. I am also a director of a wind turbine business called Redbog Renewables Ltd. I am a member of NFU Scotland. I am a director of Aberdeen and Northern Marts Group. Everything is declared in the register of members’ interests.

Thank you very much, colleagues. Of course, members will need to make declarations at the appropriate point in future meetings when things come up.