Chamber and committees

Thank you. I turn to Robin Gourlay.

Thank you very much. Rachael Hamilton has a 10-second supplementary question.

Our second item of business is consideration of a United Kingdom statutory instrument. I refer members to paper 3. If any member has any questions or comments, I ask them please to type R in the chat function.

Since there are no questions or comments, I ask whether members agree with the Scottish Government’s decision to consent to the inclusion in UK, rather than Scottish, subordinate legislation of the provisions that are set out in the notification. Please type N in the chat function if you do not agree; otherwise, I will presume that all members agree.

No member has objected, so we are in agreement.

Members will note that the temporary measures expire on 1 July 2022. Given the short timescale that is involved in the current package of subordinate legislation on the issue, I propose to write to the Scottish Government to ask for further information about when it is intended that the policy will next be reviewed and to seek assurances that the Scottish Government will allow sufficient time for the Scottish Parliament to consider future notifications. Are members content with that suggestion? If not, I ask them to type N in the chat function; otherwise, I will presume that all members agree.

No member has objected, so that is agreed.

That concludes our business in public.?

Thank you very much, Mary, Geoff and Robin, for your attendance and for extending your time with us. We have run considerably over time, but we very much appreciate the information that you have given, which will be most helpful as we move forward to consider the bill in more detail.

Members will be aware that a number of submissions that were received in response to the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill called on the committee to write to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee and the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, to seek their views on the bill. I propose to write to those committees to draw their attention to those suggestions and to set out this committee’s stage 1 inquiry timetable. Are members satisfied that I do that?

Members indicated agreement.

Does Robin Gourlay have any comments in response to Karen Adam’s question?

Jim Fairlie will ask a brief supplementary question before we move on to the next and final theme.

Thank you. That is helpful.

Robin Gourlay, before you address the previous questions, can you say whether the bill is fit for purpose? Is it anywhere close to what stakeholders wanted? We have heard about accountability, reporting and targets—none of those is included in the bill. Is it a bit premature? Should we have waited until there was a bill that covered topics that stakeholders are looking for?

I apologise, but we are very tight for time. Please keep your responses as concise as possible. That would be much appreciated.

We will move to our next theme and to questions from Jenni Minto.