Chamber and committees

I agree with all that, but you have not taken a view on the level of the fine. Do you think that the level of fine in the bill would act as an adequate deterrent?

Okay. So you would not have a view on whether, if someone was managing 3,000 hectares, a £5,000 fine in that respect would be affordable to them.

Okay. Does Fergus Colquhoun want to come in on that?

Would you like to see more in the bill in relation to that?

That would be really helpful. What does Dr Robbie think?

Okay.

I am sorry to cut across you, but I probably did not articulate my question sufficiently well. Some witnesses’ written evidence said that it might be burdensome to do community consultation, to consider biodiversity and net zero and to undertake the cost of preparing a land management plan. More things could be included in the plans, and I generally support what you are saying, but others might contend that the more we ask people to do, the more burdensome and costly the process could become. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Do you think that there is scope within land management plan regulations to say that that consultation process is an opportunity to discuss with communities what their rights actually are, because not every community will be aware of what their rights are or will have organised in such a fashion. Should that be part of the discourse during that consultation process?

Can I check with you, Mr Macleod? So, 30 million square metres is 30 million square metres, irrespective of what the data shows. Is that too big, too small or just about right?

We will come to that in a wee second, Mr Macleod. To be honest, it is a straightforward question: do you think that 30 million square metres is too high, too low or about right?