Chamber and committees

I would like a little more detail on the letter that Patrick Krause sent. I am not sure whether you have seen it, Morag. In the final paragraph, he says:

“Financial support has to be more equitable, for example, the Islay Goose Management Scheme has a budget of around £1m per year”,

but, in my head, that does not really equate with the figures that you have given. Will you explain what that budget covers? You just talked about people with expertise in corralling coming up from England and about other methods possibly needing more expertise. In comparison, Patrick Krause says that

“Uist receives zero amount directly from NatureScot.”

How is that funding broken down, and could it be made equitable?

It is not a supplementary; it is a separate question. Would you like me to ask it?

Given farmers’ significant concerns about avian flu, I think that it is important for the committee to put that on the record.

But we do.

Thank you.

It does—it is just that so many stakeholders have different views. We know that anyone in the organic farming movement wants the Scottish Government to take an exclusion in relation to that particular bill. However, there are many others, such as farmers who deal in traditional agricultural commodities, who do not want to be looking over the hedge to see English farmers with a competitive advantage.

I am wondering about the whole process. I do not know what process you follow. Yes, there is stakeholder engagement, but we hear so many different views in committee. How do you translate that into the policy that you create? I know that you are not leading on this area—it is Màiri McAllan.

But has the reverse not happened this time with avian flu? England has had a lockdown, with birds being kept inside, while Scotland has not.

On that subject, Scottish farmers do not want to be looking over the hedge to see English farmers enjoying a competitive advantage. On these specific issues, do you have conversations with farmers and those who would be affected by—to put it in simple terms—taking an exclusion from the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill?

I have a supplementary question. The Scottish Government has the power to adopt, amend or abandon retained EU law. What would you scrap or retain with regard to the islands and agriculture portfolio?

In relation to retained EU law.