Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Subordinate legislation – the Private Storage Aid Scheme (Pigmeat) (Scotland) Regulations 2021
Letter from the Convener to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, 16 December 2021
Dear Cabinet Secretary,
The Private Storage Aid Scheme (Pigmeat) (Scotland) Regulations 2021
At its meeting on 8 December 2021, the Committee considered the Private Storage Aid Scheme (Pigmeat) (Scotland) Regulations 2021.
The Committee agreed to make no recommendations in relation to the instrument.
The Committee did, however, agree to ask for an update on how the scheme is running, including the sector’s comments on how effective the scheme has been in supporting the industry.
Members also asked for further information regarding—
- what checks are in place to ensure that carcases are not processed and released back into the food chain via the use of butchering facilities outwith Scotland;
- what is the total amount of funding available through this scheme and which budget does the funding come from;
- what is the storage capacity of the scheme;
- how will the process for releasing the stored meat back into the food chain be managed;
- whether the Covid outbreak at the pig abattoir in Brechin impacted on the Scottish Government’s decision to bring forward this scheme; and
- how this scheme links with the previous hardship scheme and whether the Scottish Government has any plans to reintroduce that scheme
We would be grateful if you can provide a response to the Committee on the points above by Friday 11 February 2022.
Yours sincerely
Finlay Carson
Convener of the Rural Affairs, Island and Natural Environment Committee