Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Official Report 428KB pdf

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Subordinate Legislation

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Potatoes Originating in Egypt (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2012 (SSI 2012/37)

Agenda item 4 is consideration of an instrument that is subject to negative procedure. No motion to annul the instrument has been lodged. I refer members to the paper on it. Do members wish to ask any questions or make any statements?

I have just a brief comment. I am not a potato farmer, so I have no interest to declare with regard to the regulations. However, potatoes are obviously important to large areas of Scotland—including Graeme Dey’s area—and seed-potato production is particularly important in Scotland. It is more than likely that Egypt gets most of its high-quality disease-free seed potatoes from Scotland, so, the regulations are important.

Yes, indeed. Potato brown rot disease is of considerable concern to us. I hope that the regulations will ensure its control and that we do not get an infestation in this country.

Do members agree that we do not wish to make any recommendations in relation to the instrument?

Members indicated agreement.

I thank the public for their attendance at the meeting, although I think that they have already left.

11:54 Meeting continued in private until 12:20.