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I want to pick up on that point, because if a million animals that live on land were to die—chickens or pigs—there would be an outcry.

My sense is that the industry sees a high rate of mortality as the price of doing business; that is what we have heard throughout our evidence sessions. Rachel Shucksmith, do you have any thoughts about what we could do to address the mortality issue, or on how we could support the industry to improve in that area?

I imagine that, if people do not have an email address, they would not have to supply one, but we want to have people’s contact information. The aim of amendment 3 is to point out that we increasingly live in a digital age, and most people have email addresses. I sometimes say to people that, if they can get away in this world without having an email address, they are very fortunate.

I move amendment 2.

My amendment 4 builds on my earlier amendments by recognising the crucial role of vets in ensuring dogs’ welfare. It would require an owner to show their certificate to a vet, as well as a police officer or inspector, if asked, which would help a vet to acquire all the information that was needed to effectively treat a sick dog and help a practice to trace other animals from a negligent breeder or owner that might be similarly affected. The amendment also explicitly acknowledges the crucial role that vets can play throughout the whole certificate process.

Rachel Shucksmith, have you anything to add?

Before I go on to my main question, there is something that I am curious about. Mark, you mentioned that noise is increasingly becoming a consideration, but I also want to ask about smell, because I have been getting quite a bit of correspondence about the smell of fish farms.

Increasingly, there seems to be a noise issue with feed barges, as well as with well boats, from the tubes and the pellets moving through them.

Thanks for asking that, Miles.

The imbalance in representation came up with the previous panel—I think that Angela Leitch talked about it. Regardless of whether someone is a senior councillor or a councillor, we are in a time when we do not have that proper representation and when very difficult decisions need to be made. It is very important to have that representation at all levels in the council so that the decisions about how the budget spend falls support the people who we have been talking about—those who face barriers to local elected office—and we have in that space people of colour, people with disabilities, women, single parents and so on. We have to change the make-up. I think that we all agree with that.

Good morning, and welcome to the 24th meeting in 2024 of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee. I remind all members and witnesses to ensure that their devices are on silent.

Today Emma Roddick MSP will be joining us online. I welcome Fulton MacGregor to his first meeting as a member of the committee. Our first item of business today is to invite him to declare any relevant interests.

Thank you very much, and welcome to the committee.