Minutes: 24 October 2023

1. Declaration of interests:

The Convener welcomed Jim Fairlie, attending as a substitute for Jackie Dunbar, and invited him to declare any relevant interests.

Jim Fairlie indicated that he is a former member of the National Farmers Union Scotland.

2. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 5, 6 and 7 in private.

3. MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802):

The Committee took evidence from—

David Tydeman, Chief Executive Officer and Andrew Miller, Chairman, Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd.

4. Documents subject to Parliamentary control:

The Committee considered the following—

Scotland’s Guiding Principles on the Environment (SG 2023/162)

The Committee agreed to make no recommendations in relation to the document.

5. Environmental governance (in private):

The Committee considered the responses it received from stakeholders regarding their views on Scotland’s Guiding Principles on the Environment: Statutory Guidance (SG 2023/162) and the Scottish Government's recent report on the Effectiveness of Environmental Governance Arrangements.

The Committee agreed—

• to write to the Scottish Government about implementation of the Guiding Principles;
• to write to Parliamentary committees to inform them of the Guiding Principles coming into force;
• to write to the Scottish Government about environmental governance arrangements; and
• to invite the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition and other witnesses to give evidence in relation to environmental governance arrangements.

6. MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802) (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 3 and agreed to write to Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd., the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Scottish Government.

7. Climate change and net zero (in private):

The Committee agreed to seek approval from the Parliamentary Bureau for the appointment of an adviser on climate change and net zero.

8. Environmental regulation (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard at its meeting on 3 October 2023 under agenda item 4.