The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 789 contributions
Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Meeting date: 7 September 2022
Alasdair Allan
You have described some of the engagement with the agriculture industry. Can you say anything about engagement specifically with the crofting community, given that part of its ask is about legislative reform as well as other issues?
Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Meeting date: 7 September 2022
Alasdair Allan
I have a question to help me to understand some of these issues better before we leave them. Are you saying that, in future catching policy, the Scottish Government does not intend to move away from the priority that is given to tackling discards?
09:45Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Meeting date: 7 September 2022
Alasdair Allan
One of the areas of consensus—or, at least, potential consensus—between environmental concerns and the fishing industry is on the potential for remote electronic monitoring to make fishing a more efficient business. Can you say a bit more about the next steps in that respect? Secondly, are things such as winch monitors and closed-circuit television on board vessels areas of activity that the Scottish Government wants to see supported? If so, how?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 30 June 2022
Alasdair Allan
Do others want to come in on the question about the potential for contention over which Parliament amends these laws in future? Professor Armstrong is volunteering. You are muted, I think.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 30 June 2022
Alasdair Allan
Good morning, Mr Clancy. It is good to see you again at the committee. The Law Society made a written submission, which you alluded to there, that made some interesting historical comparisons with 1560, 1707 and 1999 as dates when bodies of law were retained. It is a bit more complicated this time, is it not? The question as to who gets to amend the body of preserved legislation is perhaps subject to more contention and more questions. Can you see that being a contentious issue in future?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 30 June 2022
Alasdair Allan
On a slightly different subject, I will ask Dr Whitten for a business perspective on the current difficulty—let us call it that—between the EU and the UK Government as it might affect business in Northern Ireland. I appreciate that you are in a different predicament, but in Scotland we are beginning to be very concerned about the prospect of economic retaliation from the EU if that relationship breaks down completely. Is that a live debate in Northern Ireland?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 30 June 2022
Alasdair Allan
Dr Whitten has very diplomatically described it as “UK unilateral action”. I will undiplomatically describe it as the UK breaking international law. Is that something that is a live issue as far as the business community is concerned, Mr Anderson?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 30 June 2022
Alasdair Allan
It has been very interesting to hear from the panel today and get the voice of business. I am keen to get more of that voice, because we are accustomed in Scotland to hearing political opinion from Northern Ireland about the protocol but less accustomed to hearing the views of business. What does having access to two markets feel like for business? Notwithstanding all the problems that you have described, that is something we look on with some envy. Is it something that business values and would have a view about if it were to be taken away?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 30 June 2022
Alasdair Allan
Dr West and Ms Hood touched on the Sewel convention. I will not speak for too long about the Sewel convention, but I am interested to know your views about whether you feel that it will be a real thing in the future, or whether you feel that it has been tested to breaking point already. This week, the Parliament has made pretty clear what it is likely to do with the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill in terms of consent. Is the Sewel convention a real factor in how these relationships are played out in future, or do we use the past tense about the Sewel convention?
Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Meeting date: 29 June 2022
Alasdair Allan
Thank you.