Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, 02 Dec 2009

Meeting date: Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Official Report 339KB pdf

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Subordinate Legislation

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Common Agricultural Policy (Single Farm Payment and Support Schemes andCross-Compliance) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2009 (SSI 2009/391)

I welcome everyone to the 30th meeting in 2009 of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee. The main purpose of today's meeting is to consider amendments to the Marine (Scotland) Bill at stage 2. I remind everyone to switch off their mobile phones and brambles, because they impact on the broadcasting system.

Agenda item 1 is consideration of a Scottish statutory instrument, which is subject to negative procedure. The Subordinate Legislation Committee commented on the amendment regulations and an extract of its report is included in late paper RAE/S3/09/30/2. No member of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee has expressed concern about the regulations in advance of the meeting and no motion to annul has been lodged. I invite comments.

I am dismayed—again—at the number of errors in the instrument. I appreciate that the Scottish Government intends to correct the errors in due course, but it is unreasonable that there should be so many errors. If farmers make errors when they fill in forms, they are immediately held to blame for doing so, but it appears to be okay for drafters of legislation to make errors, say that they are sorry and then come back with amendments. There are double standards.

I understand that the Government will lay an amending instrument before the Parliament. The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment is present, so perhaps he will take note of your comments. Do members agree to make no recommendation in relation to the instrument?

Members indicated agreement.