Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
6th Meeting, 2025
The Committee agreed to take items 5 and 6 in private and agreed consideration of the Stage 1 Land Reform (Scotland) Bill report be taken in private at future meetings.
The Committee took evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Andrew Proudfoot, Land Reform Bill Team Leader, Keith White, Lawyer, Fiona Leslie, Agricultural Holdings and Women in Agriculture Team Leader and Andrew Crawley, Lawyer, Scottish Government.
Edward Mountain declared an interest in a farming partnership in Moray, as set out in the register of interests. Specifically, he declared an interest as owner of approximately 500 acres of farmed land, of which 50 acres is woodland. He also declared that he is a tenant of approximately 500 acres in Moray under a non-agricultural tenancy and that he has another farming tenancy under the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991. He also declared that he sometimes take on grass lets on an annual basis.
The Committee took evidence from—
Dr Richard Dixon, Chair nominee.
The Committee considered a proposal by the Scottish Government to consent to the UK Government legislating in a devolved area as set out in the following UK statutory instrument proposal—
The Persistent Organic Pollutants (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025
The Committee agreed that the provision set out in the notification should be included in the UK statutory instrument. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government about its decision.
The Committee considered the evidence heard under agenda item 2.
The Committee considered the evidence heard under agenda item 3. The Committee agreed to recommend approval of the appointment of Dr Richard Dixon as Chair of Environmental Standards Scotland to the Parliament. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and to delegate authority to the Convener to approve the letter.