Minutes: 04 November 2025

Tuesday, 04 November 2025

32nd Meeting, 2025

Start time:09:01am

End time: 12:52pm

Location: T4.40-CR2 The Fairfax Somerville Room

Published: Wednesday, 05 November 2025

Committee Members Attendees:

Substitute Members Attendees:

Sarah Boyack (Substitute Member)

Also Present:

Monica Lennon did not participate as a member of the Committee for agenda items 2 and 3 by virtue of Rule 9.13A.2(b), but attended in her capacity as member in charge of the Bill under Rule 12.2.3(a) for agenda item 2. Sarah Boyack attended as a substitute member under Rule 12.2A.2 for agenda items 2 and 3. Monica Lennon attended as member of the Committee for agenda items 1, 4, 5 and 6 although took no part in relation to the decision on taking item 3 in private.
Professor Colin Reid (adviser)

Minutes

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 3, 5 and 6 in private.

2. Ecocide (Scotland) Bill:

The Committee took evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—

Ross Haggart, Chief Operating Officer: Regulation, Business and Environment, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA);

Professor Sarah Hendry, Chair of Law, Dundee Law School;

Professor Campbell Gemmell, Environmental Consultant, and former CEO of the South Australian Environment Protection Authority and SEPA;

Dr Clive Mitchell, Head of Terrestrial Science, NatureScot;

Mark Roberts, Chief Executive, Environmental Standards Scotland.

3. Ecocide (Scotland) Bill (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting and agreed to write to all local authorities, COSLA and Heads of Planning Scotland.

4. Sustainable Aviation Bill (UK Parliament legislation):

The Committee took evidence on legislative consent memorandum LCM-S6-61, supplementary legislative consent memorandum LCM-S6-61a and wider issues around the production and use of SAF in Scotland from—

Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Kirsty Ryan, Solicitor and Chris Bryceland, Team Leader - Critical Energy Infrastructure, Scottish Government;

Terry Shevlin, Aviation Statement and Sustainable Aviation, Transport Scotland.

5. Sustainable Aviation Bill (UK Parliament legislation) (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.

6. Work programme (In Private):

The Committee considered its work programme.

The Committee agreed its approach for participation and engagement work as part of its scrutiny of the forthcoming draft Climate Change Plan.

The Committee agreed to write to SEPA regarding environmental safety at Ministry of Defence nuclear bases in Scotland.

The Committee agreed to take evidence on climate change adaptation from the Climate Change Committee at a meeting in the near future.