Chamber and committees

We are not going to dwell on the budget now, because we will deal with that in future evidence sessions. You said that farmers are still getting their payments and that those have not been cut. However, the Bew review suggested that farmers should be getting an additional £61 million—it said, in effect, that that was the shortfall. Where in the agriculture portfolio is that £61 million not being spent, and where is that having an impact on progress towards your goals?

Emma Harper will ask questions on our next theme, which is forestry.

My understanding is that the draft management plans need to be laid by 7 October and the whole process needs to be completed by the end of the year. Given what you have said, it sounds unlikely that that will happen. Are you going to request that the joint fisheries statement be changed and the date pushed back to reflect that?

Okay. Thank you.

On that point, where will your main focus lie in increasing the number of vets? There is a long lead-in period in that respect—after all, it takes six-plus years for a vet to be fully qualified—but you do not need a vet to undertake some of the work that Food Standards Scotland requires, such as sampling, testing, looking in the back of cattle floats or whatever. Would you consider making changes to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 to allow vets to focus on the work that they absolutely need to do and potentially allow some of the other work to be done by personnel who are not fully qualified?

Thank you.

Minister, will you give us an update on your previous comments with regard to considering the option of a licensing scheme for greyhound racing in Scotland?

So, although there was no announcement in the programme for government, the work that was announced previously is continuing.

Good morning, and welcome to the 21st meeting in 2024 of the award-winning Rural Affairs and Islands Committee. Before we begin, I ask everyone to ensure that their electronic devices are switched to silent. This morning, we have apologies from Elena Whitham, and we welcome back to the committee Karen Adam as a substitute.

Our first item of business is to consider whether to take item 3 in private. Are we agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Good morning, and welcome to the 20th meeting of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in 2024. I hope that everybody had a relaxing and enjoyable summer recess. Just before we begin, I wish to ensure that all electronic devices are switched to silent—including my own.

Our first item of business is consideration of whether to take item 3 in private. Are we agreed to do so?

Members indicated agreement.

I should say to all the witnesses that we have a gentleman here who works all your microphones, so you do not need to touch any buttons to speak.