Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you so much for that last contribution—I did not catch your name, because I am joining the meeting remotely. I apologise to everyone for that.

I will continue on the theme of improved outcomes during years 1 and 2. The provisions on additional powers requests established a power for island local authorities to request devolution of specific functions, duties or responsibilities. That was intended to be a key mechanism to empower island councils and communities, yet I have not heard of it being used. Cabinet secretary, are you aware of it being used? Are there barriers that are inhibiting local authorities in using the power?

Professor Sindico began to speak about this topic. The Scottish Parliament information centre briefing talks about the impact of our EU exit, but one large impact that is not mentioned is the loss of horizon funding and capital expenditures infrastructure funding, which has transformed marine infrastructure on islands. What will the Scottish Government do to ensure parity of funding for islands from any new Scottish or UK funding streams?

This may be quick, because I think that we have started to get responses to my question already. How can we address the simultaneous challenges of high production costs, with risks to producing sectors, and the rising cost of food, with risks to food security among low-income groups? Professor Matthews, you mentioned additional income support. Do you have any other thoughts on that?

Thank you for that. You are welcome to expand your answers beyond my questions. I am interested in hearing what would be a proportionate and reasonable quota for the number of greylag geese—let us stick with them—that could be culled each year.

Earlier, you described the process that NatureScot went through over a period of time and then, after five years, it stopped. Now, we have an increase in the number of birds and, using the example of Uist, we want to get that to 2,500 birds. What would we do? How many years would it take to get to that number?

Another question that I have is about the ammunition that is used for shooting. I am aware that there are different kinds. Obviously, if we were to follow the trajectory that Jim Fairlie introduced of using geese as food, it should not be lead, and I know that RSPB Scotland is keen that lead ammunition should not be used. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Thank you for coming to give evidence, Patrick. I appreciate what you have said up to this point. The conversation that Jim Fairlie has initiated around feeding people is very interesting.

I am a regional MSP, so I cover most of the areas where geese are an issue. I live in Moray, where geese are shot on a nature reserve and the local people do not want that to happen. As Jim said, people pay to do that shooting and they come from Europe to do that at times, so that is something that we need to look at overall.

You have already answered quite a few of my questions. However, you were saying that the £50,000 is now back—is that right? That has been reintroduced, but it has been split, and Orkney gets the most because of the way in the geese are being culled there.

I have a supplementary question regarding the situation of Ukrainian seasonal workers. I direct this question to Scott Walker and possibly Steven Thomson, too. You might not have an answer to this, but a recent article in The Guardian reported:

“Hundreds of Ukrainians are believed to be living and working informally in Britain after escaping from farms they were working at, with many claiming to have been subjected to conditions of modern slavery.”

I should say that I do not know if this is necessary in Scotland but, in the article, one Ukrainian woman explained that she

“worked on a cherry farm, where they were not allowed to wear gloves, leading to their hands bleeding and skin beginning to peel off.”

She said:

“I thought our rights would be well protected in the UK but this has not happened.”

The article went on to say that seasonal farm workers are not eligible for the Government’s two main Ukrainian refugee schemes because they left the farms and were not working at them, so they fell down the gap.

What can we do to protect the rights of seasonal workers in general and to give those Ukrainians who have left jobs as seasonal workers a swift and guaranteed route to staying legally in the UK? I realise that that might be out of the scope of your knowledge, but I would be interested to hear your responses on that.

Thank you very much for your response. It is really heartening to hear that there is a good relationship between farmers, that it is not a one-off and that there is a real relationship, not just a transactional business approach.

Steven Thomson, do you have anything to add?