Can I finish my point?

Providing the goats with the increased protections that are set out in the amendments would conflict with Scotland’s biodiversity strategy, and legal protection could prevent the necessary population management, leading to overgrazing and to damage to sensitive upland ecosystems.

I will take Rachael Hamilton’s intervention.

ESS was established during the previous parliamentary session, I think, and the provisions that Ms Villalba mentions with regard to its independence are already in statute. I am happy to write to her about those provisions, which ensure the body’s independence. It was set up through work done in the previous session and through primary legislation, but I can certainly meet Ms Villalba to talk it through further.

On amendment 312, I would just say that there is no choice between sustainable food production and nature restoration—they are inextricably linked and co-exist. Livestock have a key role to play in delivering for biodiversity and the climate. We recognise the importance of the livestock sector, and, in stark contrast to policy in the rest of the UK, we continue to provide it with a broad range of support schemes and to demonstrate our support for a thriving livestock farming sector. I make it crystal clear that the Scottish Government has no policy of reducing livestock numbers. As Tim Eagle correctly pointed out, we did not take that advice from the Climate Change Committee with regard to our climate change plan, and we will not be actively reducing livestock numbers.

I will simply move the motion—I think that I have said enough.

I move,

That the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee recommends that the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 [draft] be approved.

Thank you. I am pleased to speak in support of two draft instruments that were laid before the Parliament last month. The instruments are technical in nature but are nonetheless important measures that reinforce our commitment to equality and inclusion across Scotland’s public sector. They will ensure that Zero Waste Scotland, following its transition to a non-departmental public body in October last year, will be subject to the same statutory equality obligations as other public authorities.

The schedule to the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 applied the majority of public sector duties to Zero Waste Scotland, such as those in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Public Appointments and Public Bodies etc (Scotland) Act 2003. However, making Zero Waste Scotland subject to the public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010, and the related duties under the 2025 regulations, must be done separately by way of an SSI, given the terms of the 2010 act.

The draft Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 formally designate Zero Waste Scotland as a listed authority under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. That means that the organisation must now comply with the public sector equality duty, which requires public bodies to consider how their policies and practices affect people with protected characteristics. The duty is central to promoting fairness, dignity and inclusion in the delivery of public services.

The draft Equality Act 2010 (Specification of Public Authorities) (Scotland) Order 2025 applies to Zero Waste Scotland the specific duties that are set out in the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 (SSI 2012/162). The duties are designed to support public authorities in meeting the public sector equality duty in a transparent and accountable way. That includes the collection and publication of workforce diversity data; the setting of equality outcomes; and regular reporting on progress against those outcomes.

The measures are not only about compliance; they are about embedding equality into the culture and operations of public bodies. They help to ensure that decisions are informed by evidence, that services are responsive to the needs of all communities and that public bodies are held to account for their performance on equality.

Zero Waste Scotland, which employs around 160 staff, plays a central role in delivering Scotland’s circular economy strategy. In doing so, it is helping to reduce waste, promote resource efficiency and drive sustainable economic growth by keeping materials in use for as long as possible. It will be an integral part of the Scottish Government’s aim to reach net zero by 2045. It is right, therefore, that we extend the duties to the organisation, which will strengthen our objective to ensure that our public services are representative of the people of Scotland.

I recommend the two instruments to the committee and to the Parliament as necessary and proportionate steps to uphold equality standards across Scotland’s public sector.

No, thank you.

Motion agreed to.

I will simply move the motion.

I move,

That the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee recommends that the Equality Act 2010 (Specification of Public Authorities) (Scotland) Order 2025 [draft] be approved.

No, thank you.

Motion agreed to.

Thank you. I am pleased to speak in support of two draft instruments that were laid before the Parliament last month. The instruments are technical in nature but are nonetheless important measures that reinforce our commitment to equality and inclusion across Scotland’s public sector. They will ensure that Zero Waste Scotland, following its transition to a non-departmental public body in October last year, will be subject to the same statutory equality obligations as other public authorities.

The schedule to the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 applied the majority of public sector duties to Zero Waste Scotland, such as those in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Public Appointments and Public Bodies etc (Scotland) Act 2003. However, making Zero Waste Scotland subject to the public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010, and the related duties under the 2025 regulations, must be done separately by way of an SSI, given the terms of the 2010 act.

The draft Equality Act 2010 (Specification of Public Authorities) (Scotland) Order 2025 formally designates Zero Waste Scotland as a listed authority under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. That means that the organisation must now comply with the public sector equality duty, which requires public bodies to consider how their policies and practices affect people with protected characteristics. The duty is central to promoting fairness, dignity and inclusion in the delivery of public services.

The draft Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 apply to Zero Waste Scotland the specific duties that are set out in the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 (SSI 2012/162). The duties are designed to support public authorities in meeting the public sector equality duty in a transparent and accountable way. That includes the collection and publication of workforce diversity data; the setting of equality outcomes; and regular reporting on progress against those outcomes.

The measures are not only about compliance; they are about embedding equality into the culture and operations of public bodies. They help to ensure that decisions are informed by evidence, that services are responsive to the needs of all communities and that public bodies are held to account for their performance on equality.

Zero Waste Scotland, which employs around 160 staff, plays a central role in delivering Scotland’s circular economy strategy. In doing so, it is helping to reduce waste, promote resource efficiency and drive sustainable economic growth by keeping materials in use for as long as possible. It will be an integral part of the Scottish Government’s aim to reach net zero by 2045. It is right, therefore, that we extend the duties to the organisation, which will strengthen our objective to ensure that our public services are representative of the people of Scotland.

I recommend the two instruments to the committee and to the Parliament as necessary and proportionate steps to uphold equality standards across Scotland’s public sector.

There are two things there. There is your final point about how the industry reacts to this and the adaptations that it might want to make, which is an important aspect, but there is also the point about how we are monitoring.

My marine directorate is working with the JNCC and NatureScot. In particular, if you look at the JNCC’s report, you will see all the references at the back as to where it got the evidence and the data to support its findings. It is using all the most up-to-date evidence and that evidence will be coming not just from the scientific community but from the fishing industry. It will be reaching out. It will be getting assessments on fish stocks and it will be getting vessel monitoring system data, presumably.

Again, these are questions mainly for the JNCC and NatureScot about what their sources are, but they are using the most up-to-date evidence from our universities, from industry, as I say, and from scientific papers. Scottish universities, in particular, are really good on this. Of course, they are also using data associated with the vessels that we have in Marine Scotland. In inshore areas we have the mandatory remote electronic monitoring cameras on the fishing fleet and there are a number of them in smaller vessels in the offshore area.

I could get John Mouat to give you a little bit more detail on how we will monitor, but that is effectively the vehicle for it: NatureScot and the JNCC advising Government based on all the science and all the data that is out there, plus industry information.

That is fine.