[The Convener opened the meeting at 16:16]
Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, for your indulgence during the informal briefing session that took place before this meeting. I should take this early opportunity to offer the committee's gratitude to those who contributed to the informal work we were able to do today. We were particularly glad to welcome the Minister for Rural Affairs, Ross Finnie, and the Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs, John Home Robertson, whose contribution was valuable. We hope that we have established a sound working relationship with those two men. I also thank Mr John Graham, Mr Andrew Brown, Mr David Dickson, Mr George Thomson and Mr David Henderson-Howatt, who were also present at the briefing and who were able to contribute to our discussion.
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