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We took some additional evidence prior to this evidence session. The League Against Cruel Sports stated that the proposed legislation is very clear and that rough shooting remains legal under the bill, provided each person in attendance controls no more than two dogs and the dogs do not form a pack. For the record, can you give us the definition of “a pack” as opposed to several dogs working independently?

For the record, can you give me the dictionary definition of “a pack”, please?

While we are waiting, perhaps we could get an indication of what the difference is in dogs working independently.

I am thinking of known unknowns, unknown unknowns and so on.

I will go to Mr Clancy next.

I thank the witnesses for the documents and information that they have given us.

I have a question about the practical impact of the legislation on the normal person in the street. I note what Dr Hancox said about the deregulatory agenda and how that might impact on the way in which we live our lives. Mr Clancy, I also note the comment in the Law Society’s submission about the definition of “burden” and how that might impact in terms of a race to the bottom, which was raised in the House of Commons, too. On the practical impacts, I thought that Professor Young’s example of the working time directive was a strong one. Could our witnesses give us other examples that we can focus on in terms of the practical impacts of the bill?

I read somewhere that EU legislation on the testing of cosmetics on animals is part of this, so there could be a negative impact if such legislation is lost.

Does Mr Livingstone have any comments?

Rae, do you have anything to add to Morag Milne’s points?

Have you learned from the trials anything about how best to manage the geese? You have mentioned egg oiling and shooting. I was also interested in your comment that some goose management groups decided not to be involved in the pilots. Why was that?

I have one final question that I will also direct to you, Rae. Can you explain, for the record, the difference between annex 1 and annex 2 geese?

Thank you.

I thank Rae McKenzie and Morag Milne for joining us. Like Alasdair Allan, I have a constituency that is impacted by geese, as Islay and Tiree are part of it. Rae and I often meet on Kilchoman beach while walking our dogs. I can attest to the number of seabirds that were, sadly, washed up on Islay’s shores as a result of bird flu.

Morag Milne, in your answers to my colleague Rachael Hamilton, you have gone into some of the issues that I was hoping to ask about. As both witnesses have mentioned, not every situation is the same in the four pilot areas. What are the major differences between them? What have you and the communities learned from the work that is being done?