Official Report 859KB pdf
Charges for Residues Surveillance Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2024 (SSI 2024/218)
Good morning, everybody, and welcome to the 22nd meeting in 2024 of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee. I remind everyone to switch their electronic devices to silent. We have apologies from Elena Whitham, and I welcome back Karen Adam as her substitute.
Our first agenda item is consideration of the Charges for Residues Surveillance Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2024, which is a negative instrument. Does any member wish to comment on the instrument?
I am a bit concerned about the instrument. I wonder whether an island communities impact assessment has been carried out. There is a move to get micro abattoirs on to our islands, although they may not be there yet. I wonder whether the costs that are associated with the instrument would make that a more distant hope.
I note Tim Eagle’s comments on the instrument at the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee in relation to the increase in financial costs. I am slightly concerned about that. I do not think that we have enough information about that or about the deficit that is expected by 2029. I also want to know how the instrument will affect game and milk processing plants and slaughterhouses, for example. I want to understand the instrument’s impact.
I have some concerns about such a big increase in potential costs—from £5 million to £8 million. I do not know whether that is down to operating costs and veterinary costs.
I certainly do not think that there is enough information in the papers that we have before us today to enable us to make a decision. I propose that we move this agenda item to next week, so that we can consider it when we have the minister in front of us to deal with two other pieces of subordinate legislation and can make a decision then. Do members agree to do that?
I have a comment on the evidence that has been submitted so far. There are two bits of anonymous evidence. I wonder whether, as a committee, we should reach out to anyone else who has been affected, prior to meeting the minister.
I look to my clerks for advice on that. That might be difficult to do over such a short timescale, but, on the back of the information that we get from the minister, we could make further decisions on how to proceed.
My comment is on the record now, convener. If people who are affected by the instrument pick it up, they can contact the committee.
Okay. That is grand.
Do members agree to move this agenda item to next week?
Members indicated agreement.
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