Rural Affairs and Environment Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Official Report
446KB pdf
Interests
The Convener (Maureen Watt)
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee’s 13th meeting this year. I ask everyone to switch off their brambles and phones, and other such devices, because they impact on the broadcasting system.
The main purpose of today’s meeting is to take evidence on the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s report on the future of Scotland’s hills and islands. We will hear from two academic experts on hill farming, followed by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and his officials. Today is our second and last day of evidence taking on this particular issue, although I am sure that we will return to the general issue of support for agriculture at future meetings.
I welcome Aileen Campbell to the committee and invite her, under item 1, to declare any relevant interests. Aileen is replacing Alasdair Morgan. I put on record all members’ thanks to Alasdair for his work on the committee during nearly two years.
Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP)
Thank you, convener. I have no declarable interests, but I want to put on record—especially given the subject of today’s evidence session—that my father was, but is no longer, a tenant hill farmer.
Thank you very much.