Chamber and committees

With all due respect, minister, I remind you that you are here speaking on behalf of the Scottish Government. You are the minister. It is the Government’s position we want on this, and the question that we had was quite clear. It was based on the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s report, which concluded that

“a dog bred for racing in Scotland currently has poorer welfare than the average of other dogs in the population.”

Do you, as the minister, agree with that overall conclusion?

Again, minister, this issue has been on the table for quite some time now; we have had the SAWC report; and we have had our own evidence sessions. At the moment, however, you are not prepared to say whether there is a need for an independent body to regulate the use of banned substances.

You think that that balance is right at the moment?

Our next item of business is consideration of petition PE1758, which calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to end greyhound racing in Scotland. I welcome to the meeting Jim Fairlie, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, and Andrew Voas, the veterinary head of animal welfare from the Scottish Government. As usual, I will kick off with a question. Minister, how do you think existing animal welfare legislation and enforcement protects racing greyhounds in Scotland at the different stages of their lives, from birth through to racing and retirement?

Under the 2006 act, there has to be consideration of

“whether the suffering was proportionate to the purpose of the conduct concerned”.

What level of suffering do you think is proportionate when it comes to greyhound racing?

On the back of that, the SAWC, once again, has suggested that

“Even if there were no racing ... in Scotland, it would”

still be

“possible to own, breed, train, and kennel ... greyhounds in the country”.

It goes on to say that

“a scheme independent of GBGB is required to ensure the welfare of these animals, possibly through Local Authority regulation or under the auspices of the new Scottish Veterinary Service.”

What are your views on such a scheme?

From what you have already said, minister, you think that there is a balance between the social benefit and the animal welfare risk. Are you saying that, currently, you do not think that there is a need for a licence, because there is no issue there to address?

So, currently, the Government has no powers at all to prevent Shawfield opening or any additional greyhound racing tracks.

Has poorer welfare than the average of other dogs.

What are the timescales for the UK, or GB, side of it, and what might the timescales be for the European revision?