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That is why it is important that we have introduced the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill. I do not see the objectives being in conflict with one another. The bill recognises the importance of agriculture, the wider supply chain and food production to our rural communities as a whole.

As we have emerged from the European Union, we have continued with the common agricultural policy—direct payments and the LEADER programme are examples of that. I know that members will have plenty of examples from their constituencies of that fund being hugely important in supporting rural development. I see the objectives as being hugely important, and we will continue to drive forward with them as we further develop our plans.

In relation to the LEADER programme and rural development, community-led local development has continued to be important. We have, over the past few years since leaving the European Union, looked at what we can learn from that. We have tried to take the best of what the LEADER programme offered and to tailor our system in a way that works for our rural and island areas. We are trying to see how we can make the system work best for rural communities. The proposed powers in the framework will, ultimately, allow us to develop a scheme that works for our rural areas, and we will work with rural communities as we do that.

We wanted to bring that forward, because I understand that there can be frustrations with framework bills. This is the second framework bill that I have discussed with the committee.

I understand that the bill does not necessarily provide all the clarity and detail that people want. I have outlined already why the flexibility of a framework is so important and why we would look to provide the detail in secondary legislation—which is not least because of all the changes and potential issues that could arise, which we need flexibility to adapt to.

The rural support plan is key because it is about providing more certainty in a flexible framework. The intention is that the rural support plan will build on what we have set out in, and are looking to achieve through, our vision for agriculture, and that we will use the bill to deliver that. We have also set out the route map to the future transition and have said what it will look like.

All of that will be brought together in one place to provide more clarity, within the flexibility of the legislation.

Of course we take it seriously. We also take seriously any recommendations that come from a parliamentary committee.

We provided a substantial response to the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee on the concerns that it had expressed. We have had a response to that in relation to some of the powers that we have set out, and I think that there are a few outstanding areas where the committee has recommended a different procedure for those powers, in particular.

Again, I have set out quite clearly why the framework approach is so important. I do not know what the converse of that argument would be. If we were to put all the detail of secondary legislation in the bill, that would tie us to it in a way that would be a lot harder to change.

In terms of overall support, I hark back to the route map, which is where we have set out as much information as we can about the future direction. I understand the concerns and criticisms that you have heard about the lack of detail and the need to know the future direction for business planning, which I know is vital to businesses. That is why the detail that we have set out on when that information will be available is so important, as is the list of measures that we have published.

That list was published in order to set out our thinking on what could become a condition or part of the enhanced tier in a future framework and to show examples of how that could work in different business units in different areas. There was a particular focus on that in the measures that we produced in relation to livestock, because we know that that is where the largest emissions come from.

I raise that point because I do not want us to forget about the information that already exists and what we have already set out. It is important in providing as much certainty as we can and in setting the direction of travel for the future, as well as providing information on what the transition will look like. We do not want anybody to face any cliff edges, and particularly not in 2025. We have been strong on that commitment and have tried to make that clear throughout the process. It is neither in our interests nor in the interests of farmers and crofters for that to happen. We must ensure that there is a just transition throughout, and that is what we have tried to map out.

We seriously consider all the feedback that we have heard, which is why all the evidence sessions that the committee has undertaken are important to us. I look forward to seeing the committee’s recommendations in relation to part 1 and the other parts of the bill.

I will not make a commitment on the member’s suggestion today, as I am here to listen and engage. It is important that we hear those points, and then we can take the matter forward once we have considered the committee’s view on the issue.

I said earlier that I would follow things up with the committee. I want to take a bit more advice on what we would be able to set out in advance. I am happy to reaffirm that, and I will follow that point up with the committee.

Sorry—what do you mean?

No. Again, that would completely undermine everything that I have said about co-development. I am not the expert on what should be in a sustainable and regenerative farming code of practice, so it is not for me to outline it to the committee. What I can point to is what we have published in the route map, which I have highlighted a number of times today and I have read out some of its elements. However, again, that has to be developed.

Thank you for that question. CPD is an important part of the framework, because we do not have the powers to implement a CPD regime at the moment. Therefore, the ability to take those powers through the bill is really important. It was interesting to go through all the evidence that the committee has heard on the issue, because it came across that this would be interpreted as a stick to force people to undertake CPD, which is not what is intended at all. If there is CPD that could be considered essential, or that a person must undertake in order to undertake another activity, it is important that we have the powers and flexibility to enable us to require that.

There are examples of that in relation to plant protection products, where people need to undertake specific training before they can undertake that activity, which is reasonable. However, the provisions are about facilitating CPD in the first place and building a system that enables continued learning and personal development.

Another thing that came through strongly in the evidence was the importance of peer-to-peer learning and the support that is available on that. We want to facilitate and encourage that as much as possible as well as providing other opportunities for learning through that process. I hope that that is helpful, at least in clarifying how we intend to establish the powers and enable that aspect.

Another element that goes alongside that is knowledge transfer and what will be called the agricultural knowledge and innovation service, which presents different opportunities. An awful lot of work has been undertaken so far on that and on what will become the future tier 4 support.

John Kerr will know when that will be implemented. I think that the new part of the framework will come in from 2027 onwards.

Yes—it is a critical element, and we support similar schemes now. As the schemes evolve and we transition into what will become the formal tier of the new framework, I fully intend to support that.

I hope that the code will be a helpful document for farmers and crofters. It is to be used as a support rather than as an alternative mechanism—I want to make that clear.

As we touched on at the start of today’s discussion, sustainable and regenerative agriculture means different things to different people. It is about a basket of measures, and the code is really important in helping to outline some of those. We want to make sure that we get that right in how the code is used. The list of measures also refers to any consultation that needs to take place and how we raise awareness of the code.

I have talked a lot today about co-development and getting that right. The code is designed to be a tool for, and a support to, farmers and crofters as opposed to anything else.