Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you for being here. One of the reasons behind the petition that the committee has been asked to look at, or certainly something that is relevant to it, is the “Report on the welfare of greyhounds used for racing in Scotland”, which was produced by the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission. It says:

“a dog bred for racing in Scotland currently has poorer welfare than the average of other dogs in the population.”

Will you respond to that? What do you think of it?

One of the things that we are interested in, following the evidence that we have heard previously, is what the future of this pastime looks like. The only places in the world where greyhound racing is still legal are—please keep me right—the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, three or four states in the US, Mexico and Vietnam. As we have talked about, there is now only one place in Scotland where it happens. We heard in previous evidence that the attendance at Thornton has been declining. I do not know whether that is true or whether you can offer any insight into that. Is there a decline in the number of people who are involved in this activity?

I appreciate that this is a supplementary question, but I wonder whether I could split it in two. My first question is about the science relating to the Irish Sea. I appreciate that there are connections and similarities between Firth of Clyde cod and those in the Irish Sea. What data, if any, on stocks and their viability has been drawn from the Irish Sea, and has it been applied in the Clyde area?

My other question is about the cod box and the preferred spawning grounds for cod. What kind of sea bed are we talking about? Are we talking about sandy mud, muddy sand or sand? In identifying areas with those types of sea bed, has the precautionary principle been applied? What was the thinking around that?

Amendment 97 would change the test that an application must pass for a licence to be granted for the undertaking of muirburn on peatland. The bill currently sets out that a licence may be granted for muirburn on peatland if it

“is necessary for the specified purpose”

and

“no other method of vegetation control”

is available. During consideration of evidence at stage 1, a number of interested parties raised the concern that there might be circumstances in which other methods of vegetation control may be available, but they may not be practicable or effective in all circumstances. They expressed real worry that the wording in the bill would significantly restrict the ability to make muirburn to such an extent that it would be impossible to carry out muirburn on peatland.

I do not think that it was the intention that the bill place such a high bar on licence applications. It would be preferable if NatureScot considered such matters on a case-by-case basis, including whether any other methods of vegetation control would be suitable, and, as a result, whether a licence should be issued. It is likely that there will always be other methods of vegetation control available, such as cutting, but they might not be practical or desirable; for example, due to the topography of the land.

My amendment would ensure that NatureScot could consider, on a case-by-case basis, any practical issues arising from alternative methods of vegetation control, and it would give NatureScot the flexibility to issue a licence for muirburn if no other method of vegetation control was practical. It is my hope that local people, such as those in my constituency, would be listened to as part of that process, to allow their knowledge and experience to inform decision making. In the same way, there is expertise in NatureScot that should also be listened to in order to inform local practice. That dialogue and working together will increase and improve everyone’s knowledge about muirburn and local peatlands.

For all those reasons, I encourage members to vote for amendment 97, not least because it responds to one of the recommendations in our stage 1 report.

It is not within the scope of my amendment, but I certainly acknowledge the need to control the spread of Lyme disease, which has been an issue in parts of my constituency. We should of course be open to looking at all measures around that.

My amendment, however, focuses on ensuring that crofters continue, where appropriate, to carry out muirburn on their crofts or common grazings for the purposes of reseeding or to provide or improve grazing, as they have done for generations. I hope that, whatever the Government’s reaction to my amendment is, the minister will be willing to work with me on the issue in the future.

I should have explained that amendment 94 merely gives the legal definition of a crofter for the purposes of amendment 90. That amendment not having been passed, amendment 94 does not make much sense on its own, so I will not move it.

Amendment 94 not moved.

Amendment 24 not moved.

Section 10, as amended, agreed to.

After section 10

Amendment 149 not moved.

Section 11—Grant of muirburn licence

Unless I have drafted it badly, yes. My intention is to provide another reason that crofters could use to employ muirburn.

My amendment 90 seeks specifically to allow crofters to apply for a muirburn licence for the purpose of reseeding to provide or improve grazing on peatland. The bill allows licences for muirburn on peatland only for the purposes of restoring the natural environment, preventing wildfire and research. During stage 1, crofting stakeholders raised concerns about the lack of provision in the bill for muirburn on crofting peatland for the purposes of reseeding, which they highlighted is a traditional and effective practice that, when carried out properly, avoids damage to the peat. Controlled muirburn over small areas of land, such as on crofts or common grazings, is a long-established practice in crofting areas across the Highlands and Islands. Although there are alternative reseeding methods that could be attempted on that terrain, their potential efficacy is viewed as highly questionable.

How do we separate the important but distinct objectives relating to rural policy and agricultural policy? How do we ensure that they are not conflated? How are they related? How do we attach priority to them?