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Sorry?

I appreciate that point; we look to provide that information. I will use ATF as an example. It has its own budget line, and I like to think that we are transparent in that regard. When we open the fund, we set out what it can be used for. I am more than happy to look into particular concerns and to see whether we can provide any other information, but we try to be as transparent as possible.

Yes, absolutely.

Well, that is the thing. As was outlined in response to earlier questions, we have not had an FPMC scheme—

You are absolutely right. I think that there is no shying away from that. I have had engagement with Confor and the Woodland Trust, and I have heard those concerns directly. Ultimately, as I have said in this committee previously, this is absolutely not the situation that we want to be in, particularly at a time of record approvals. In the past year, we have planted around 15,000 hectares, more than half of which has been native planting. The cuts to the capital budget for this year mean that we hope to see in the region of 10,000 hectares of planting. That is a huge impact that means that we are not able to meet the targets that we had set for this year.

I understand and take on board the point about industry confidence; I have heard that directly. This is not where I want to be. I want to ensure that there is confidence and that we maintain the trajectory that we have been on, but—as I have already outlined—the capital funding picture that we face as a whole has been devastating to some of those budgets.

I absolutely appreciate the points that have been made. This is not where we want to be but, unfortunately, we will not be meeting our targets. Again, 10,000 hectares of planting is what we hope to achieve.

Brendan Callaghan might like to add further detail, but we are trying to maximise what we can do within that funding. I know that, through some amazing initiatives, such as the integrating trees network, we are looking at smaller-scale planting, which is really important. I also recognise the importance of other lines that you mentioned, such as AICs and other sources of funding. It might be helpful if Brendan Callaghan sets out some of the other work that we are doing to maximise the budget that we have.

Again, we are starting off with what the overall quantum of the funding would be for the immediate future; that is what we have announced. I do not anticipate making changes to that immediately.

Yes.

Absolutely. We have discussed the various iterations of the islands programme at length with the committee; we have had direct allocations, and we have run the competitive bid model before, too. Of course, there are pros and cons to each of the models, but we have genuinely taken on board the feedback that we have heard from committee members, as well as from people who are utilising the fund, and we have made changes and adapted the islands programme funding in response to some of that feedback.

Of course, if you or other committee members have been hearing other comments on the carbon-neutral islands programme and how it is operating, I am more than happy to listen to and take on board that feedback to see whether any improvements can be made for the future.

I have not had any submissions in front of me, so it is not possible for me to pull out that information. As I said, it will happen imminently if those decisions have been taken. However, as I have had no submission in that respect, I cannot set that out for you.

Thank you, convener and committee members, for the opportunity to speak to you on the delegated powers in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. I am committed to working with members to ensure that we deliver good law. I know that members will have a range of questions on the powers, but I want to make a couple of opening comments to give some background to the overall approach to the bill.

As set out in the delegated powers memorandum, the overarching policy objectives of the bill are to help to realise our vision for land reform and sustainable and regenerative agriculture. The bill covers the on-going management and transfer of large landholdings. It will also help to secure the viability of tenant farming and enable tenant farmers and small landholders to participate in delivering our vision for agriculture. Specifically, the bill covers four principal policy areas: land reform, a new land management tenancy, agricultural holdings legislation and small landholding legislation.

As I outlined in my response to the committee’s initial questions, I want to ensure that the bill provides the correct balance between primary and secondary legislation so that the key measures are in the bill and proper scrutiny of the measures that are made under the bill takes place. With that, I welcome the committee’s views, as well as those of stakeholders more widely, to ensure that the bill strikes the correct balance.