The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 486 contributions
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: 18 September 2024
Beatrice Wishart
I have a slightly different question, which is about the income that Crown Estate Scotland derives from salmon farms. Can you give us an indication of what that is?
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: 18 September 2024
Beatrice Wishart
My question is on the siting of salmon farms. The policy outcome in national planning framework 4 states:
“New aquaculture development is in locations that reflect industry needs and considers environmental impacts.”
Is that being delivered? Could I start with you, Mark?
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: 18 September 2024
Beatrice Wishart
Thank you—that was helpful.
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: 11 September 2024
Beatrice Wishart
I would not want you to think that I was just majoring on the islands, because connectivity issues affect people across rural areas.
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: 11 September 2024
Beatrice Wishart
With regard to fisheries science, you will be aware that some members of the committee visited the science labs in Aberdeen a couple of weeks ago. The visit was very useful—we met some dedicated personnel there, and it was good to see the work that they were doing. I have to confess, though, that I was somewhat surprised at the condition of the buildings and the environment in which they were working, and I wondered if that was having an impact on their ability to deal with their workload and the data and evidence gathering.
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: 11 September 2024
Beatrice Wishart
The Government is carrying out a statutory review of national outcomes, and it says that it will create a more successful country with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish. Will you outline how the specific needs of, and opportunities for, rural communities are being considered in the review and how the national outcomes will help rural communities to flourish?
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: 11 September 2024
Beatrice Wishart
Digital inclusion is key across a range of national outcomes, from education and learning to healthcare, culture, equality and human rights. However, compared with people in urban areas, people in rural and island areas experience a wider digital divide. I recently heard from a constituent who has been told that she will not be connected to fibre broadband until 2028, which is many years after the Scottish Government’s original deadline under the reaching 100 per cent—R100—programme. How is that issue being taken into account in the revised national outcomes? How will that work help to tackle the digital divide?
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: 11 September 2024
Beatrice Wishart
The things that concern fishermen include the spatial squeeze, which is significant around the North Sea; the competition that is being faced with renewables such as offshore wind; and developments in the blue economy. Are those things impacting the work that is being done for the fisheries management plans?
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: 11 September 2024
Beatrice Wishart
Good morning. I would like to ask about fisheries management plans. The fisheries policy authorities are to jointly publish individual fisheries management plans, or FMPs—there are always initials and abbreviations. There is a list of 22 that are being led by the marine directorate, and they need to be published by the end of 2024. DEFRA published its first five FMPs for England and Wales in December 2023. What progress is being made on the fisheries management plan for Scottish waters?
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: 11 September 2024
Beatrice Wishart
Will you expand a wee bit on what the challenges are for all the Administrations?