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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 2 April 2025
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Displaying 5030 contributions

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Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Future Agriculture Policy

Meeting date: 8 November 2023

Ariane Burgess

As Jim Fairlie has touched on the area that I wanted to cover in this section, I will ask another question.

We have heard some stakeholders calling for fruit and veg to be subsidised by the Scottish or UK Government. Indeed, a paper from Warwick university found that doing so would cost taxpayers roughly £2.5 billion a year, compared with the £6 billion a year that is spent on treating illness related to poor diet. I am interested in hearing your views on that. Would supermarkets support the Government subsidy of fruit and veg?

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Future Agriculture Policy

Meeting date: 8 November 2023

Ariane Burgess

It is great to hear that both of you are giving farmers that premium price, but do you think that we could go further if there were regulation across the board that meant that everybody had to do it? By that, I mean regulation in general, leaving organics aside.

One thing that you have talked about this morning is the challenge around the competitive market margins. If there were regulation in certain situations that could help all of you take that step together, do you think that that would help us move things along? We have incredible climate targets, and agriculture plays a big role in reaching them.

09:30  

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 8 November 2023

Ariane Burgess

Does anybody else want to come in with thoughts on that?

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Future Agriculture Policy

Meeting date: 8 November 2023

Ariane Burgess

A new environmental assurance scheme was recently proposed under the red tractor scheme, but farmers have raised concerns about the new standard incurring higher costs and supermarkets selling their products at a premium, but farmers not receiving a premium price. It is a similar situation with organics; such products have a market premium, but the Soil Association and others have proposed that more of that premium should find its way back to farmers. I understand that some supermarkets would pay farmers a higher price but they feel that they cannot do that while their competitors keep their prices down. Would your companies welcome regulation in this area, such that farmers who produce a premium product to a higher environmental and animal welfare standard would be guaranteed to receive a premium on the price from all the supermarket buyers?

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Decision on Taking Business in Private

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Ariane Burgess

Good morning, and welcome to the 26th meeting in 2023 of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee. I welcome Stephanie Callaghan to the committee. I remind all members and witnesses to ensure that their devices are on silent during the meeting.

The first item on our agenda is to decide whether to take item 6 in private. Are members agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Ariane Burgess

Mark Griffin has a supplementary question.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Ariane Burgess

When you talk about a cap, are you talking about the amount of money or the number of days? Last week, Paul Lawrence talked about a cap of seven days, which would involve paying the levy for the first seven days of accommodation, after which there would not be a charge.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Ariane Burgess

Marc Crothall wants to come in.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Ariane Burgess

Thank you. Time is rapidly running out for us. The responses have been tremendous, but I ask members who still have questions to keep them brief and witnesses to keep responses to the point. That would be fantastic. Everything that you have contributed has been tremendous, but I need to make sure that we do not go wildly over time.

With that, I bring in Mark Griffin.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Ariane Burgess

The next item on the agenda is consideration of the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 (Conservation Bodies and Rural Housing Bodies) (Miscellaneous Amendment) Order 2023, which is a negative instrument. I should say that there is no requirement for the committee to make any recommendations on such instruments.

If members have no comments to make, does the committee agree that we do not wish to make any recommendations in relation to the instrument?

Members indicated agreement.