Chamber and committees

We will move on to Rachael Hamilton, who has a further question.

That is fine. You can continue.

I am mindful of time, but we have a brief supplementary question from Jim Fairlie.

That is one of the SSIs that we are considering.

Thank you for keeping your responses brief. We will move on to a question from Karen Adam.

I ask Anna Taylor also to touch on her views on Scotland’s problems and policy solutions in comparison with those in the rest of the UK in her response.

No, we will move on. I ask Ariane Burgess to ask her questions. We have only five minutes left—we are very tight for time.

I was going to bring in Rachael Hamilton for a supplementary question, but it is probably more appropriate to bring in Karen Adam, whose questions will lead on to some of the issues you have touched on. I will bring in Rachael Hamilton after that.

That brings us to the end of the evidence session. I thank the witnesses for their time and knowledge today. It is incredibly useful and it will inform our report.

Our third item of business is the consideration of three negative instruments. I refer members to paper 4. No motions to annul the instruments have been lodged.

I propose to write to the Scottish Government in relation to the Official Controls (Transitional Staging Period) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) (No 3) Regulations 2021 for further explanation regarding why the transitional staging period ends on 30 June and when further stages are planned beyond that, and for further information on whether there are any practical differences in the import controls in Scotland compared with those of the rest of the UK as a consequence of the introduction of a Scottish instrument.

I propose asking the Scottish Government to confirm whether the issue falls within the food and feed safety and hygiene common framework and, if so, what the Scottish ministers’ views are on how well the framework is functioning, given the issues that are detailed in the Scottish Government’s letter.

Are members happy for me to write with those questions? Do they have any other comments to make?