Chamber and committees

Thank you for giving us the bigger picture, Professor Heath. I want to dive into a little more detail. You talked about predation and bycatch. Is there any evidence that aquaculture and its side effects, including sea lice and pesticides, have an impact on cod populations?

It is great to get a picture of the challenges around gathering data, funding and so on in relation to issues not just in the Clyde but across the marine space in Scotland. That helps us to get a better sense of what is going on, so thanks for that. I almost wish that we had spoken to you first today, because you have given us a much better context for our lines of questioning.

I would like a bit more detail on certain subjects. What are your views on the use of remote electronic monitoring, with fishing vessels being equipped with cameras to assist with data collection on cod recovery and the impact of different fishing methods? How could the Scottish Government encourage more fishers to make use of that tool and play a key part in research and monitoring?

Is that because you have not done any research in that area?

It seems that we need to go in that direction, so I will take that further and link it to the bigger picture. The joint fisheries statement will require Scotland to develop more fisheries management plans. Does Scotland need an overarching fisheries plan in order to address systemic pressures on fish stocks and marine ecosystems and bring about a just transition to sustainable fisheries? If so, what should be the key principles in that plan? It is a big question, but I would really appreciate your perspective on that.

Thank you for expanding on the possibilities around the potential for controlling equipment via satellite and so on. It is clear that we need to be moving in that direction if we want to have successful fisheries in the future.

Thank you for your statement. I will open the session for questions.

You mentioned future proofing. At the forefront of my mind is the on-going energy and cost of living crisis. Households are suffering because of energy prices and there is an urgent need to transform heating systems. Given that, how has the Scottish Government reviewed and consulted on the revised charter? Specifically, how have tenants been engaged?

How do you think that the charter needs to evolve, given the stated aim in the new deal for tenants consultation of developing a more unified rented sector with more consistent regulation?

It is good to hear that there is potential for overlap and connection between what we are doing in the committee with the social rented sector and the private rented sector proposals.

Thanks for that question, Willie. You have picked up on something that I was beginning to think about, which goes wider than the charter. There is certainly an opportunity with the Government looking at building 110,000 new houses, 70 per cent of which will be social housing. There is the parallel process that should influence that through the national planning framework, and we are talking about 20-minute neighbourhoods. It seems to me that social housing has an opportunity to influence, affect and shape those 20-minute neighbourhoods if we are talking about building that amount of housing. It is good to hear that you recognise that, although I understand that we are trying here to create a document that is accessible for tenants’ direct needs. At the moment, it is a matter of having homes where tenants feel safe and where they can get their immediate needs met.

Under item 4, the committee will consider a legislative consent memorandum on the United Kingdom Building Safety Bill. Members have received copies of the LCM along with a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee’s report on the LCM was circulated to members as a late paper on Friday.

The Scottish Government considers it appropriate for the Parliament to consent to the LCM, and the cabinet secretary’s letter states that stakeholders are also supportive of a UK-wide approach. We therefore agreed in a previous meeting that there would be very limited value in taking evidence on the LCM, but we are still required to report our views to the Parliament on whether we recommend that it should be approved. Do members have any comments on the LCM and on whether we are content to recommend its approval?

Everyone is content. The clerks will arrange for a short report that sets out our recommendation to the Parliament to be published in the coming days.

At the start of the meeting, we agreed to take item 5 in private. As we have no more public business today, I close the public part of the meeting.