Seòmar agus comataidhean

Yesterday’s debate highlighted the contribution of our farming sector to our economy. Given that many farmers are not as young as they used to be, what support is being given to encourage young people into the sector?

I very much welcome the licensing of Airbnbs. In my neck of the woods, there are many. No doubt, some are excellent, but there is one in particular that drives me to distraction. Like clockwork, as night fell on every summer midweek night, the temporary inhabitants set up their drinks table, barbecue and, later, a gazebo in their garden—I had prayed for rain to drive them indoors and not under a gazebo. As the night and drinking progressed, so did the noise levels. Finally, on one night, very late—indeed, in the early morning—I had had enough. I opened the bedroom window and proclaimed that I was a neurosurgeon and needed my sleep and that they should all go to bed. Silence fell, then there were whispers and peace reigned. The gazebo was abandoned. It is better to have legislation than for neighbours to have to resort to such subterfuge. I add that this is not only an urban problem, having had issues with a so-called party house in West Linton—something that was referenced earlier.

I broadly support and appreciate the health and safety requirements. However, I am surprised at the reach of the legislation, and I have case studies that illustrate issues that some constituents have raised. I will put those on the record, as it may be that, in summing up, some of them can be addressed by the minister.

I appreciate that Midlothian Council and Scottish Borders Council have issued policy guidance that introduces some limited flexibility, including temporary exemptions to accommodate a large influx of visitors over a short period to support specific events such as local festivals and sports events such as the Melrose Sevens. Those exemptions require to go before the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the police, but there is also the opportunity for temporary licences, such as when the property concerned is subject to sale. Those temporary licences have been referred to as “light touch”.

As I mentioned, I will put on record some constituents’ concerns. They are abridged quotes, but they are constituents’ words, not mine. It is part of my job to bring them to the chamber.

“I thought I’d get in touch with you to explain why the short term licensing is terrible and in desperate need of adjusting to allow flexibility. I am going through a very expensive divorce and am desperately trying to sell my family home and my one bed flat in Edinburgh. My flat lies empty because I cannot rent it out as a holiday let which I’ve ... done without complaint for 15 years.”

My constituent asks why they would apply for a licence when the property is on the market. I have already referred to the fact that people can get temporary licences from Scottish Borders Council and Midlothian Council. I do not know whether that is the case in Edinburgh.

A second constituent wrote:

“I have operated our family flat in Causewayside as a short term let unit since 2006, once our children no longer needed accommodation for their university years. There are some party flats in Edinburgh which should be easy to identify because of the number of guests and number of rooms. Could this be a straightforward solution? ... I have applied for a Certificate of Lawfulness and am in the process of applying for a Licence to enable me to continue with my work. This has all taken many hours, and is likely to cost me my entire profit for this year. I just have to hope it is worth it.”

A third constituent wrote:

“I am writing to you as a host of self-catering Cabins based in Peebles and in the hope this will assist in the calls to the Scottish Government to pause the implementation of the shortterm let legislation deadline. The application process is cumbersome, bureaucratic, expensive and unnecessary with time quickly running out as the 1st October deadline approaches.”

In the fourth case study, my constituent wrote:

“We have a purpose built one bed conversion specifically designed for short term lets and not suitable for long term occupancy because of lack of storage. We market through Country Cottages which insist on all the safety checks in the current legislation without the additional costs and hoops of the new registration.”

The final case study relates to home swapping. My constituent wrote:

“We have been members of Homelink for approximately 4 years during which we have undertaken 10 home exchanges. This involves staying in each other’s home in order to have a holiday, usually on a simultaneous basis, occasionally non simultaneous. The exchanges are undertaken on a trust basis between partners. No money changes hands nor ... is any payment in kind made. These are NOT commercial arrangements, but part of the circular, or sharing economy.

They say that, on average, they

”will probably do 3 exchanges a year”,

although some people do two exchanges. They go on to say:

“We must emphasise these exchanges happen in our ... private home without charge. Our home complies with all safety standards required by legislation and as it is where we permanently live we maintain it to a high safety standard.”

Those are quotes from constituents, and I put them out there for consideration.

I am just concluding—sorry.

I share the concerns of Willie Rennie, although I do not know whether he is happy that I share his concerns. There is insufficient flexibility in the regulations, which tightly define which properties fall within the remit. I think that we are all agreed that we need regulations, but if we go through the list set out in the regulations, there is no flexibility for councils. The definitions are very tight, and I do not think that they are always suitable for local communities. I know that, whatever their political hue, councils have their areas at heart.

As the regulatory framework is applied, I therefore trust that the Scottish Government will, if necessary—if what some of us are saying comes to pass—undertake a review and allow councils more flexibility around which properties are affected.

Please do not heckle me. I am trying to be non-political and reasonable, which is unusual for you, Mr Ross.

Thank you.

Given the concerning rise in cases of Covid, would the cabinet secretary encourage supermarkets and shops to reinstate hand sanitisers and trolley wiping stations, many of which have been removed?

Well, they have not been impacted. The member will know that I raised the issue of these businesses during the discussions about the DRS. I am not unhappy to say that. I am glad that the scheme is being revisited. There were issues. I say to the member that he did not catch me out.

There are producers of honey, too, including large estates such as the Duke of Northumberland’s Burncastle estate, where I passed a trailer-load of hives being taken back to Dumfries after the bees had finished feeding off the heather. I still have a pot at home—of honey, not bees.

Then there are the farms across my constituency, stretching from the Eildon hills to the Pentland hills. They are mostly involved in sheep farming, although there are some mixed farms such as Baddinsgill hill farm in the southern Pentland hills near West Linton. Its 4,000 acres of heather-covered hills are populated by 1,400 hardy Blackface sheep along with a small fold of Highland cattle. The family has farmed there since 1912 and it remains a family farm, with four generations currently living there. It is one of the many farms and, indeed, estates that I have visited in my years here. It was on one of those Pentland farms that I learned—I am going into dangerous territory here—that on some farms sheep congregate in hefts that defend their patch with vigour. I hope that I have remembered that correctly.

All the producers that I have mentioned above have accessible websites where people can place orders, although it seems that the whole beef and whole lamb at Baddinsgill are already sold out. The important thing about those businesses is that they are embedded in the community and are committed to the community and to Scotland. They are not “here today, gone tomorrow” multinationals. They do not have to get £75 million to set up a car factory somewhere in England. They are family enterprises and they are the backbone of Scotland’s economy.

I will conclude by going back to hospitality. I repeat that it endured a tough two years due to Covid and it is still on the road to recovery. Recently, I completed my annual summer surgery tour of villages. Apart from picking up lots of cases and local issues, I also had to eat, of course, and where better than the two places that I will mention? I had lunch at Burts hotel in Melrose—I recommend the kedgeree—and at Caberston cafe in Walkerburn, where people cannot resist the homemade soup and cake.

There you are, Deputy Presiding Officer. I have unashamedly promoted and publicised a sample of what my constituency brings to the table and, seriously, to the local economy and the Scottish economy, which we should support and celebrate.

Perhaps the reason why Ms Hamilton did not mention Brexit is that, as an independent report has just shown, it is responsible for a third of UK food price inflation since 2019 and regulatory, sanitary and other border controls have added £7 billion to domestic household bills. That is why she keeps quiet about it.

I turn to the producers—the small and medium-sized enterprises that are the backbone of Scotland’s food and drink sector. The independent, award-winning craft brewery Broughton Ales, which produces a range of beers, was established in 1979 in the village of Broughton. The first Scottish microbrewery to be initiated, it appealed to customers who were looking for a new craft beer experience. It celebrates and preserves traditional Scottish brewing techniques, with favourites including Old Jock Scotch Ale and Stout Jock. They are available in pubs in Edinburgh and elsewhere, and also online.

On the same topic, there is more beer to be had at Traquair. I say to Mr Mountain that I have a theme. Traquair House Brewery lies in the wing of Traquair house that is directly underneath the chapel. The house, which is extraordinary, is Scotland’s oldest inhabited house and it was visited by 27 Scottish kings and queens. The brewery, which dates back to the 1700s, was originally a domestic brewery that served the house and the estate. It became disused but was never dismantled. It gradually filled up with family rubbish until it was rediscovered by Peter Maxwell Stuart in the early 1960s. Today, it continues to be run by the family, with beer names including the unsurprising Traquair House Ale and the also appropriately named Traquair Jacobite Ale, and it exports 50 per cent of its production.

I have had the pleasure of visiting both businesses—

I do not have any samples for the member.

Before I elaborate on the significance of the food and drink sector to the local economy in my constituency by giving examples of many small producers—and I will include hospitality, which plays a significant role by using local supplies and promoting Scottish produce through its food services—I will first mention the impact of Covid and Brexit on the hospitality sector.

The sector took a substantial hit from pandemic closures and then restrictions, notwithstanding the financial support at both UK and Scottish Government levels. Some providers, such as Stobo Castle Health Spa, which also serves food, closed completely and took the opportunity to refurbish, as did the Central Bar in Peebles. It is a very small pub and could not comply with the requirement to serve food, so it closed and underwent refurbishment. Some businesses have yet to see their bank balances recover, so we must not forget the substantial impact of Covid.

Brexit has also had an impact. Several local hotels tell me that they are unable to find staff, who formerly came from the EU, which limits their service to customers. There was not a cheep about Brexit during a very grumpy contribution by Rachael Hamilton.

Some businesses pride themselves on having as much local produce on their menus as is feasible—

As I mentioned Rachael Hamilton in dispatches, I will.