Chamber and committees

The rural development plan was announced a year ago by the Scottish Government. There have been questions from stakeholders on the significant resource and ministerial time that have been taken for the plan, but it has so far delivered nothing tangible for rural communities. Would you accept farmers’ concern about the time that it is taking?

Yes—the rural delivery plan.

Do you expect that money to be returned according to the timetable that was previously promised, now that Shona Robison has announced £0.5 billion of cuts?

Has the head count gone down since Marine Scotland was changed to the marine directorate?

On that specific subject, the Auditor General, Stephen Boyle, has said that he is concerned that Scottish Government goals are not clear, measurable and achievable. Beatrice Wishart raised issues about R100 completion across regions, and there are also issues with other policies that were announced in the programme for government in 2021, 2022 and 2023. There was the rural and islands housing action plan—obviously, Scotland has an issue with depopulation—the £20 million rural entrepreneur fund, which is essential for succession planning and creating jobs, and the missing Bew funding, which we have talked about. When will the committee be able to understand the work on the rural data dashboard and the impact of the lack of delivery of those policies on inequalities in rural areas?

I am sorry, but I was just saying what Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General, said.

Would the same apply to the code of practice on sustainable and regenerative farming and the secondary legislation?

Cabinet secretary, I listened to what you said to Ariane Burgess about community engagement with commercial forestry plantations. That has not happened in the Glenprosen estate, which the Government purchased for £17.6 million. When Màiri McAllan talked about how wonderful that was going to be, she spoke about community, biodiversity and the environment, but we are hearing reports from the glen that houses that once housed people and created jobs are no longer doing so and are now in disrepair, and that the glen is being depopulated.

As well as carrying out an environmental impact assessment, what is the Government doing to ensure that public money, to the tune of £17.6 million, is benefiting communities?

Okay. That is useful for the committee.

Another area that I am slightly concerned about is the introduction of restrictions on certain kinds of fishing gear across 20 sites in Scotland. It has been indicated that that could cost the Scottish economy £66 million. Are you worried that that is just introducing highly protected marine areas by the back door?

You have teed me up nicely, convener. When will the rural support plan be published, cabinet secretary?