Chamber and committees

For a final word on that question, we will hear from Bill Austin.

We move on to the theme of marine protection and enhancement. Ariane will kick things off.

Is there anybody in particular that you would like to address the question to, Ariane?

Is Rob Brooker coming in?

That takes us smoothly on to our second theme, which is peatlands and soils.

Is there a suggestion that, at the moment, renewables sector developers might be greenwashing by saying, “We might be displacing peat here, but we will restore it somewhere else”?

We are lucky to have two experts from the James Hutton Institute with us, so I will bring in Rob Brooker at this point.

From knowledge gained, as I have said, many years ago in the soil science department of Aberdeen University, I know that microbiology plays a huge role in this matter. The more artificial nitrogen we use, the less we rely on the microbes in the soil to fix It; in other words, microbiological and other matter in the soil is very good at allowing plants to take up nutrients, and the more artificial fertiliser we use, the less we rely on those microbes. As a result, reducing the use of artificial fertiliser has the regenerative effect of allowing these microbes to do their job again, and there is a tipping point at which the return on investment in terms of yield through the use of artificial fertiliser reduces. You do not get as big a bang for your buck, so to speak.

If that is correct, should the science be helping farmers with the decision to reduce their use of nitrogen and artificial fertilisers, given that, after a period, productivity that might have fallen will increase as the microbes in the soil start to do their job again? Again, this brings us back to the transition issue, but does part of the solution lie in knowledge transfer from you guys—the scientists—to grass-roots farmers to persuade them that doing things differently will not, in the long term, affect their bottom line and economic sustainability?

I am just seeing whether anyone is nodding. Would Pete Smith like to respond to that? [Interruption.] I beg your pardon—I had said that Rob Brooker would respond.

Do you want to comment, Pete?

No, just ask your supplementary question just now. Thanks.

Jim Fairlie has a supplementary question.