Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, 22 Jun 2009
Meeting date: Monday, June 22, 2009
Official Report
241KB pdf
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Good afternoon. I welcome committee members, witnesses and members of the public to the 18th meeting of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee this year. We have received apologies from the local member, Alex Fergusson. He was with us downstairs but, unfortunately, his programme has been changed and he is unable to join us for the meeting.
The committee is pleased to be meeting in the Solway Firth area; it is particularly pleased to be meeting in Kirkcudbright for the first time. Given its remit, the committee has an on-going commitment to take its work to areas of Scotland where the issues that are being considered are especially relevant. Going to different parts of Scotland is also a way of showing the committee's and the Parliament's commitment to making themselves accessible to the public.
The main purpose of the meeting is to take evidence as part of our on-going scrutiny of the Marine (Scotland) Bill, which seeks to put in place a framework for the environmentally sustainable management of the competing demands on the sea. This morning, we enjoyed an interesting fact-finding visit to Mersehead Sands to inform this evidence session. I put on record the committee's thanks to all those who have helped to organise and have attended both events.
We have received apologies from Karen Gillon MSP. I ask everyone present to ensure that their mobile phones and pagers are switched off, because they have an impact on the broadcasting system.
There are a couple of matters for us to deal with before we take formal evidence on the bill. Do members agree to take items 6 and 7 in private?
Members indicated agreement.