Official Report 373KB pdf
Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2013 (SSI 2013/349)
Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) Order 2013 (SI 2013/3157)
Plant Health (Scotland) Amendment (No 3) Order 2013 (SSI 2013/366)
Sea Fish (Prohibited Methods of Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2014 (SSI 2014/2)
Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 (SSI 2014/4)
Common Agricultural Policy Schemes (Cross-Compliance) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2014 (SSI 2014/6)
Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2014 (SSI 2014/7)
Long Leases (Appeal Period) (Scotland) Order 2014 (SSI 2014/8)
Long Leases (Prescribed Form of Notices etc) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 (SSI 2014/9)
The second item today is consideration of nine negative instruments. No motion to annul has been received in relation to any of the instruments.
I welcome the measures that are being implemented at the Barry Buddon shooting centre in my constituency. I note the concerns that have been expressed by the National Trust for Scotland and look forward to making a site visit in the next couple of weeks to see for myself the measures that have been put in place and how they will operate. I welcome the instrument.
I have a comment on SSI 2014/2. It says that it applies to British fishing boats but not to any other nation’s fishing boats. I cannot remember what the solution to that problem is, although it has come up regularly over the years. We should write to the cabinet secretary about that to find out what the situation is. The order restricts the catching of certain species during certain months, but it does not cover trawling for prawns and things such as that. It would be useful to know why, because fisheries officers of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency or the Royal Navy can stop people in these waters during that time. That is the only point that I would make.
I would like to highlight the importance of SSI 2014/4. It relates to the transfer of waste, and it is important that there is a proper paper and computer trail of that process in view of the risk of environmental crime, which can be serious.
On SSI 2014/6, I note that there has been no consultation with stakeholders because the instrument concerns a transfer from a statutory management requirement to a good agricultural and environmental condition requirement. I would have thought, however, that there would have been some consultation. It will be interesting to see how the Government communicates the fact that the issue might affect GAEC conditions and, therefore, CAP payments if there is any incident concerning the protection of ground water against pollution.
We will write to the cabinet secretary about that.
That would be worth while.
I welcome SSI 2014/7, which simplifies the procedure for the roll-out of less favoured area support in 2014. I hope that a similar procedure can be implemented in 2015, pending advice from Europe. The SSI will give some comfort to rural farmers and crofters.
If there are no further comments, do we agree to make no comments—other than those that we have just made—on the regulations?