Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
The Committee focuses on areas including:
- rural land use, including forestry, farming and crofting
- food and drink supply chain
- animal welfare and wildlife crime
- fisheries and aquaculture
- issues relevant to the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018
The Committee's name changed from Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee to Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 1 February 2023.
Next meeting of the committee
Details of the next meeting are not available yet.
Dates for future meetings
The Parliament is in recess from 29 June 2024. There aren't expected to be any committee meetings until September.
Previous meetings of the committee
Work of the Committee
Current work
Completed work
Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill
Budget scrutiny 2023-24
Budget scrutiny 2024-25
Draft Joint Fisheries Statement
Future agriculture policy in Scotland
Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill
Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Shark Fins Bill
Petition PE1951 Reinstate inshore coastal limit on the use of dredge and trawl fishing gears
Quality Meat Scotland (Amendment) Order 2023
Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) (No. 2) Order 2022 (SSI 2022/35)
Sea Fisheries (Remote Electronic Monitoring and Regulation of Scallop Fishing) (Scotland) Regulations 2024
UK Common Frameworks
Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill
Future work
The Committee has agreed its work programme. Please note, this may be updated to reflect changing parliamentary business
Implementation of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022
Correspondence
Correspondence
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, 25 June 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Salmon farming in Scotland: regarding the social and economic benefits of salmon farming in Shetland
Letter from the Shetland Islands Council, 24 June 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Letter from NatureScot, 21 June 2024
Official Reports of meetings
Official Reports of meetings
Meeting date: Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Salmon Farming in Scotland, Subordinate Legislation
Meeting date: Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Interests, Decision on Taking Business in Private, Salmon Farming in Scotland, Subordinate Legislation
Meeting date: Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Salmon Farming in Scotland, Subordinate Legislation
Meeting date: Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Salmon Farming in Scotland
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Interests, Decisions on Taking Business in Private, Petition
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Interests, Subordinate Legislation, Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Subordinate Legislation, United Kingdom Subordinate Legislation
Meeting date: Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Subordinate Legislation, Petition
Reports
Committee reports
Annual report of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee 2023-24
The Annual Report of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee for the parliamentary year from 13 May 2023 to 12 May 2024.
Subordinate legislation considered by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 1 May 2024
This report details the Rural Affairs and Island Committee's consideration of the draft Sea Fisheries (Remote Electronic Monitoring and Regulation of Scallop Fishing) (Scotland) Regulations 2024.
Subordinate legislation considered by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 20 March 2024
This report details the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee's consideration of the draft Plant Health (Import Inspection Fees) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2024.
Committee Remit
To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, with the exception of matters relating to land reform, natural resources and peatland, Scottish Land Commission, Crown Estate Scotland, and Royal Botanic Garden.
Current Members
Finlay Carson
Beatrice Wishart
Colin Beattie
Ariane Burgess
Rhoda Grant
Rachael Hamilton
Emma Harper
Emma Roddick
Elena Whitham
Full details of committee membership, including substitute and previous members