Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Official Report 653KB pdf

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European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and Agriculture Bill

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Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (Amendment) Order 2020

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Pesticides (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

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Agricultural Products, Food and Drink (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

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Genetically Modified Organisms (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

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Organic Products (Production and Control) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

For the next item, we have received consent notifications in relation to five UK statutory instruments, as detailed on the agenda. The instruments are being laid in the UK Parliament in relation to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and the UK Agriculture Bill.

The Scottish Government has provided clarification in writing on the Organic Products (Production and Control) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which has been circulated to members and is available on our web pages.

It appears that members do not have any comments on the SIs. Does the committee agree to write to the Scottish Government to confirm that we are content for consent to be given to the UK SIs, as detailed on the agenda?

Members indicated agreement.

Does the committee agree to write to the Scottish Government asking it to notify the committee when the UK Agriculture Bill has been passed and of any changes to the bill that affect the notifications that we have been given, and to explain how the livestock information service will work in practice? Those two matters were raised in the briefing papers that have been circulated.

Members indicated agreement.

Thank you. That is the end of the public part of the meeting—we now go into private session.

11:55 Meeting continued in private until 12:35.