Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
The Committee focuses on areas including:
- rural land use, including forestry, farming and crofting
- food and drink supply chain
- animal welfare and wildlife crime
- fisheries and aquaculture
- issues relevant to the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018
The Committee's name changed from Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee to Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 1 February 2023.
Next meeting of the committee
Details of the next meeting are not available yet.
Dates for future meetings
The Rural Affairs and Islands Committee usually meets weekly on Wednesdays.
Previous meetings of the committee
Work of the Committee
Current work
Completed work
Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill
Budget scrutiny 2023 to 2024
Budget scrutiny 2024 to 2025
Budget scrutiny 2025 to 2026
Committee advisers
Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill
Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill
Draft Climate Change Plan as it relates to agriculture and land use
First national Good Food Nation Plan
Future agriculture policy in Scotland
Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill
Good Food Nation (Specified Functions and Descriptions) (Scottish Ministers) Regulations 2025
Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill
Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill
Inshore fisheries
Joint Fisheries Statement
Joint Fisheries Statement - amendment
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Shark Fins Bill
National islands plan
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill
Offshore Fishing (Prohibition of Fishing Methods) (Scotland) Order 2025
Petition PE1490 Control of wild goose numbers
Petition PE1758 End greyhound racing In Scotland
Petition PE1951 Reinstate inshore coastal limit on the use of dredge and trawl fishing gears
Quality Meat Scotland (Amendment) Order 2023
Rural Development (Continuation of Operation) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2024
Rural Support (Improvement) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2025
Salmon farming in Scotland
Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) (No. 2) Order 2022 (SSI 2022/35)
Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2026
Sea Fisheries (Remote Electronic Monitoring and Regulation of Scallop Fishing) (Scotland) Regulations 2024
Town and Country Planning (Marine Fish Farming) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025
UK Common frameworks
Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Bill
Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill
Correspondence
Correspondence
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Consultation on fisheries management plans
25 March 2026
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, 25 March 2026
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
25 March 2026
Letter from Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union, 25 March 2026
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Salmon farming in Scotland: Assessment of progress
25 March 2026
Letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, 25 March 2026
Official Reports of meetings
Official Reports of meetings
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Salmon Farming in Scotland, Petitions
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Wildfires in Scotland, Subordinate Legislation
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Salmon Farming in Scotland, Subordinate Legislation
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2, Seed (Fees) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2026 (SSI 2026/13)
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Subordinate Legislation, Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 2
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 2
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Draft Climate Change Plan, Subordinate Legislation
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Budget Scrutiny 2026-27, Subordinate Legislation
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan, Subordinate Legislation
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Draft Climate Change Plan
Reports
Committee reports
Annual report of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee 2025-26
Published: 25 March 2026
The annual report of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee for the parliamentary year from 13 May 2025 to 8 April 2026.
Published: 25 March 2026
The Rural Affairs and Island Committee's legacy report to its session 7 successor committee(s)
Subordinate legislation considered by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 25 February 2026
Published: 26 February 2026
This report details the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee's consideration of the draft Marine Licensing (Exempted Activities) (Scottish Inshore Region) Amendment Order 2026.
Committee Remit
To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, with the exception of matters relating to land reform, natural resources and peatland, Scottish Land Commission, Crown Estate Scotland, and Royal Botanic Garden.
Current Members
Finlay Carson
Convener
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Beatrice Wishart
Deputy Convener
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Alasdair Allan
Member
Scottish National Party
Ariane Burgess
Member
Scottish Green Party
Tim Eagle
Member
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Rhoda Grant
Member
Scottish Labour
Emma Harper
Member
Scottish National Party
Emma Roddick
Member
Scottish National Party
Evelyn Tweed
Member
Scottish National Party
Full details of committee membership, including substitute and previous members