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That was one thing that I wanted to clarify.

The reason why the Health and Safety Executive has raised the issue—it is probably why the chemical is not authorised and why it can be used only under an emergency application—is that the chemical is an endocrine disruptor. Is that correct?

Who do the land managers who wish to use Asulox apply to? Is it NatureScot?

It was great to hear the context from which the instrument arose and the work of the deer working group, which was set up due to the concern about the levels of damage to public interests caused by wild deer. Those public interests include a healthy environment with flourishing biodiversity and woodlands that can capture our excess carbon emissions. Minister, to what extent is increased deer control important for our natural regeneration?

Have the concerns around animal welfare been looked into?

Is there any concern about accumulation over time? Asulam has not been an authorised chemical for 15 years, but it has been used under emergency application in that time. Is there concern about an accumulation of Asulam in the land?

So, the Health and Safety Executive knows where Asulox is being used in Scotland.

Will it be doing further research?

Minister, you have talked throughout the session, and just now, about the fact that this measure is part of a package of 99 measures. I do not know whether you are bringing forward, or have agreed to, all of them; that is not the point of my question. You have also talked about the relationships that you have had with land managers and professionals and practitioners on the ground in going to meet with them and discuss the issues.

It may be challenging for the committee, because we are looking at just a few of the measures in the package that you are talking about. When you go to talk to those practitioners and land managers, are you discussing those pieces as part of the whole package? Do the practitioners and the land managers understand that there are a number of measures that are going to come through over time, and do they see those bits as part of the whole, which we are perhaps not seeing?

Can you explain to some degree what endocrine disruptors do?

We move to questions from Ivan McKee.