1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take item 4 in private. The Committee also agreed that consideration of the responses to its call for views on the Budget 2023-24 should be taken in private at a future meeting.

2. Rural Affairs and Islands remit:

The Committee took evidence from—

Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, supported by George Burgess, Director of Agriculture and Rural Economy, Allan Gibb, Deputy Director of Sea Fisheries and Jill Barber, Head of Aquaculture Development, Scottish Government.

3. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee considered the following negative instrument—

Rural Support (Simplification and Improvement) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 (SSI 2022/206)

The Committee agreed to make no recommendations in relation to the instrument.

4. Common frameworks (In Private):

The Committee considered the responses to the call for views on common frameworks and agreed to take evidence from the Cabinet Secretary at a future meeting.

5. Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill (In Private):

The Committee considered a draft Stage 1 report. Various changes were agreed to and the Committee agreed to consider a revised draft, in private, at its next meeting.