Chamber and committees

I have a very brief question before we move on to our next section. There has been a huge rise in pet ownership, a lot of which is down to Covid, and the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill is proceeding through Westminster. There has been a call for the number of dogs that can be transported privately to be restricted to three, given the evidence that that number relates to the average family or whatever. Are you still considering reducing from five to three the number of dogs that can be transported from Europe into the UK?

If you do not mind bearing with us, we have two more very short questions for you.

Item 2 is evidence from the cabinet secretary on the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2022. The instrument is subject to the affirmative procedure. I refer members to paper 1.

I welcome Mairi Gougeon, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, and her Scottish Government officials, Fiona Eddy, who is the deputy head of animal welfare policy, and Grant McLarty, who is a solicitor.

I invite the cabinet secretary to make an opening statement.

Thank you. As there are no questions from members, we move to item 3, which is formal consideration of the motion to approve the instrument. I invite Ms Gougeon to move motion S6M-04393.

Motion moved,

That the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee recommends that the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2022 [draft] be approved.—[Mairi Gougeon]

Motion agreed to.

I call Mercedes Villalba.

Good morning and welcome to the 16th meeting in 2022 of the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee. I remind everyone who is using electronic devices to switch them to silent.

Our first item of business is a decision on whether to take item 6 in private today, and to consider our draft annual report in private at our next meeting. Do members agree to do so?

Members indicated agreement.

Is the committee content to delegate authority to me to sign off our report on our deliberations on this affirmative Scottish statutory instrument?

Members indicated agreement.

That completes consideration of the affirmative instrument. I thank the cabinet secretary and her officials for attending.

Item 4 is consideration of a negative instrument. I refer members to paper 2.

Does any member have any comments on the instrument?

Before we move on to our next theme, I have a quick question. In April of this year, the UK Government announced details of the shared prosperity fund, which I understand will make available around £212 million between 2022-23 and 2024-2025. How much of that fund will be directed towards the rural affairs remit, and how will it be targeted?