Rural Development Committee, 29 Jun 2001

Meeting date: Friday, June 29, 2001

Official Report 66KB pdf

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Interests

Good morning, everyone. Thank you for attending this meeting, which, of necessity, has had to be convened at short notice. The first item of business is the declaration of interests of the new member.

My declaration of interests regarding this committee would have to include my ownership of a hill farm in Argyll, the details of which are in the register of members' interests. How detailed do I have to be in making my declaration?

Perhaps this copy of your entry in the register of members' interest will be of assistance. On the first occasion on which new members address the committee, it is necessary for them to declare interests that are relevant to the remit of the committee, irrespective of the business before the committee at that meeting.

Well, I own heritable property—Ardchonnel Farm, Argyll—which consists of house, farmhouse, letting holiday cottage and livestock. The value of the estate is estimated at £500,000 to £600,000. I also own a one-sixth share of a salmon rod fishing syndicate on the River Awe, whose value is estimated at £30,000 to £40,000.

I am a member of the Scottish Crofters Union, the Scottish Landowners Federation and the National Farmers Union of Scotland. I am a member of the council of the Atlantic Salmon Trust and chairman of the Loch Awe Improvement Association. I am also a trustee of the Argyll fisheries trust. In addition, I am a member of the Game Conservancy Trust, the Countryside Alliance, the Scottish Association for Country Sports, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group and the Royal Company of Archers. I am also a shareholder in the Glenalmond Tweed Company, a small business that makes and sells things made out of Harris tweed.

Is that everything?

I think that it is an extremely boring repertoire.

I also have a flat in London worth between £150,000 and £200,000. All my interests are recorded in the register of members' interests.

Thank you, Jamie, and welcome to the committee. Your declaration means that we are certainly not going to beat the record for holding the shortest-ever committee meeting. We look forward to working with you in the committee over the months to come.