Chamber and committees

The committee’s report will confirm the outcome of the debate.

As previously agreed, we will move into private session to consider our work programme.

I thank the minister for taking that point on board and Miles Briggs for raising it. I have made a note to keep an eye out for that being made clear in the training.

As there are no further questions, we move to agenda item 2, which is consideration of motion S6M-01124.

Motion moved,

That the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee recommends that the Code of Conduct for Councillors be approved.—[Ben Macpherson]

Motion agreed to.

I invite the minister to make a short opening statement on the code.

My question is on farm animal welfare. In the context of the Scottish islands, in particular, I am interested in hearing your thoughts on the maximum journey times for farmed animals, which are a maximum of nine hours for calves up to nine months old, 12 hours for newly weaned pigs and 21 hours for sheep and cattle. How can we set maximum journey times that do not unduly distress animals while allowing for the longer distances that need to be covered between the mainland and the islands?

Thank you for coming to talk to us about these amendment regulations. I am curious about any burden that might be put on Scottish Forestry. I know that it is already processing felling applications, but will this create any more of a burden for the organisation?

Moving on to the underlying point of my question, I know from my other committee that the whole area of licensing and granting permissions is very much stretching planning departments. That concerns me, given that, in this parliamentary session, we will be shaping Scotland for the next 20-plus years, and departments must be staffed and resourced properly to do that work.

I will direct my question to Kirsty Jenkins and Mike Flynn, if he is back with us. There is a high probability that the new trade deals will allow the importation of animal food products that do not meet the United Kingdom’s animal welfare standards. What are your thoughts on how that situation could be managed and how residents of Scotland could be encouraged to value meat and other animal food products that meet high welfare standards?

Is Mike Flynn back with us?

I will move on to the theme of wild animal welfare. Are there any gaps in the Scottish Government’s agenda in relation to the welfare of wildlife? I will start with Kirsty Jenkins and then go to Mike Flynn, if we have time.

There will be a division.

Against

Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
Meghan Gallacher (Central Scotland) (Con)
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP)
Elena Whitham (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)

Agenda item 5 is consideration of motion S6M-00960.

Motion moved,

That the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee recommends that the Orkney Islands (Electoral Arrangements) Regulations 2021 [draft] be approved.—[John Swinney]

Motion agreed to.