Scottish Parliament Rural Development Committee Tuesday 7 January 2003 (Afternoon)
[The Convener opened the meeting at 14:01]
Right, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado we will commence this meeting of the Rural Development Committee. I welcome members and the Minister for Environment and Rural Development.
We have an apology from Fergus Ewing. I hope that I will be permitted to put on record my and, I am sure, the committee's great sympathy for the Ewing family at this tragic time. It was an awful thing that we heard about yesterday. It is correct that our sympathies be placed on the public record.
We also have apologies from Irene Oldfather and Mike Rumbles. Other than that, and apart from welcoming you all back after the recess, I ask you to check that mobile phones are switched off.