Chamber and committees

Thank you, convener. The next time the cabinet secretary comes, I think that we will need three hours to get through all these very important issues—with a break, of course.

I understand that the Government is also furthering, in parallel with the Griggs review recommendations, many of the recommendations that were made by the previous session’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee. A key recommendation from the REC Committee in its 2018 report was that

“the Scottish Government should, as a matter of priority, initiate a spatial planning exercise with a view to developing strategic guidance specifying those areas across Scotland that are suitable or unsuitable for siting of salmon farms. This work should”,

among other things,

“incorporate an assessment of the potential impact of salmon farms on”

marine protected areas and priority marine features

“and the species which inhabit them.”

I understand that various forms of spatial planning are already under way or are being planned, and the PFG notes the importance of spatial planning as a means of guiding development. Can the cabinet secretary advise whether those processes will include an assessment of the impact of salmon farm pollution on MPAs and PMFs, as the REC Committee recommended? I am also curious as to whether any work is being done to assess the current use of each area, including creeling and the use of the coast by locals and tourists, and the loss of use that a salmon farm could cause?

Do you have a sense of what the uptake has been?

So, we are potentially bringing forward areas that are genuine no-take zones, such as Lamlash Bay in Arran.

It is great to hear about the addressing depopulation action plan. Can you update us on other policy measures to encourage repopulation? For example, I know that there is work on repopulation zones, and there are also visa pilot schemes. It would be good to hear any information that you have about what is going on in the islands on that.

Thank you. Does anyone else want to come in on that?

Thank you for your insight; it is very useful. We will move on to another theme. No, I am sorry—two more people want to come in.

Thank you. That points back to what Ailsa Raeburn said at the beginning of the meeting, when she described the need for a much more local base, as is happening on Eigg.

Thanks. We will move on.

We move to questions on the same theme from Marie McNair.

Thanks for that point.

As I was saying, we have come to the end of our time—it is exactly 11 o’clock. Some good points have been raised that I know that I, at least, will have to look at in a little more detail. Next week, on 13 September, we will take evidence on the same topic from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government.

I thank everyone who has contributed to this morning’s discussion. As agreed previously, we will take our next item in private.