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Ms Fordyce, some smaller processors in Aberdeen are not exporting any more because of the groupage situation. What are they telling you?

Thank you. It seems that you are jack of all trades and master of many, Mr Walker.

I know that you do not really want to talk about politics to any huge degree—Mr Scott has made that plain—but we are in the run-up to a general election. You have pointed out in your submissions and you have been talking for some time about the European health certificate, getting public health certification and arrangements right and cutting down on bureaucracy. What plea would you make to the candidates who are standing in the forthcoming general election? I know that you all see it as being very high on your agendas, but what should the policy priorities of future politicians be, and how high up the agenda should the TCA be for them?

Good morning. I am pleased to hear about witnesses’ positivity for the future if there is change, but I want to concentrate on some of the other things that you have said this morning and in your submissions. Ms Forbes referred to the Salmon Scotland submission. The loss of export value of £80 million to £100 million since 2019 is pretty immense in my book. That is there in black and white, but what is perhaps unquantifiable is the loss that Mr Walker and Ms Fordyce have mentioned in relation to the impacts on smaller producers and smaller companies because of the changes to things such as groupage.

I would like to tease that out a bit, because it has, I imagine, led to market shrinkage and has probably not done well for Scotland the brand, which we all want to see up there. Will you expand on the groupage difficulties? Mr Walker, you mentioned that the main way out of the UK now is through Hull to Zeebrugge, and that that has shrunk markets. You mentioned Monaco minutes ago. Can you give us an indication of where our product is not reaching any more because of the changes?

Salmon Scotland has been able to quantify that devaluation in the export market. You mention missing out on markets in Portugal, Italy and other places. Do you have a figure for the devaluation of that export market over the same period?

I have no relevant interests, convener.

Mr Scott, do you have anything to add? You have presented substantial figures on the loss.

Perhaps an air hub that promoted the use of sustainable aviation fuel would be the way forward.

Ms Burnett, I recognise that things are a little bit different for you in such regards. However, Scottish seed potatoes were quite a thing. The inability to export must have had a huge impact on companies. Can you give us an indication of what they have had to bear because of the changes?

So that has gone for the moment.

We need to get that back.

I, too, would like to have parliamentary scrutiny over all aspects, but, for me, the key thing is to have flexibility in the system, ensuring that those with lived experience, as well as those on the front line, can have their say in making changes if it is found that the system is not flexible enough.

I am pleased that the minister has said that he will give us advance sight of the regulations before stage 3, but what does the minister intend to do about continuing to take stock of how the regulations are working? When does he think would be a good time to review the system to see whether they are working? If the powers are in primary legislation, the minister will not have the ability to do that to the same degree as he can if they are in regulations and secondary legislation. Is there a commitment to review the system quickly after the regulations are in place?