Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Official Report 949KB pdf

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European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

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Genetically Modified Organisms (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018

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Common Agricultural Policy and Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018

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Common Provisions (Implementing and Delegated Acts) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018

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Zoonotic Disease Eradication and Control (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018

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Agriculture (Zootechnics) (UK) (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019

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Veterinary Medicines and Animals and Animal Products (Examination of Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018

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Farriers (Registration) and Animal Health (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

Item 4 is on seven statutory instrument notifications, as detailed on the agenda, covering genetically modified organisms, the common agricultural policy and animal health. All the instruments are being laid in the UK Parliament in relation to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

All seven instruments have been categorised in general by the Scottish Government as category A, meaning that they make minor or technical amendments. Two of the proposed statutory instruments on common agricultural policy could also be considered as category B, to the extent that the transition from an EU to a UK framework would be a major and significant development.

Do members of the committee have any comments?

Can I say at the outset, cab—I was going to call you cabinet secretary, convener.

Thank you.

I have no issue with the instruments and I will support them, but I would like to comment on the genetic modification instrument. The question is whether the law as it stands goes far enough to protect Scotland from GM crops and products. The basis for that is the statement by Michael Gove. A recent headline in The Times said “Michael Gove pledges genetic food revolution”, and there was a suggestion that Mr Gove may plan to overrule a European Court of Justice decision made in the summer that classed gene editing as genetic modification. We could end up in a position in which we nominally have a ban or very tight controls on GM, but the definition of what is GM is very narrow and may mean that GM procedures are allowed. Can we ask the Scottish Government to ask for clarification on that? I am particularly interested in whether there will be a joint process for deciding the definition of GM and GM processes in the future, or whether that matter will be left to the UK Government. It would be a concern if that were so.

Thank you for that.

Convener, you point out that some of the measures might be category B. I would ask the Government to notify us if, in its view, the category moves from A to B, so that we can give any necessary further consideration.

That is a good point, although I do not think that they will be viewed as category B in due course.

Does anyone have anything to add?

From what I have heard, and provided that we add Mr Finnie’s questions to the other points that we want to make, I think that the committee should confirm that it is content for consent to be given for the UK SIs referred to in the notifications. The committee should also note, and request a response from the Scottish Government on, the wider policy matters that are identified in the committee’s papers. Do members agree?

Members indicated agreement.

12:37 Meeting continued in private until 12:50.