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How would we accommodate that along with Mr Torrance’s recommendation?

PE2110, which was lodged by Charles Millar, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to develop and introduce a statutory fisheries management plan that is focused on protecting wild wrasse stocks in Scottish waters, beginning with a data collection exercise and the introduction of precautionary fisheries management measures ahead of the next fishing season, which commences in May 2025—obviously, the petition was lodged some time ago.

We previously considered the petition on 30 October 2024, when we agreed to write to the Scottish Government. In particular, the committee was keen to find out what consideration the Scottish Government had given to the total allowable catch limits on commercial wrasse fishing and what discussions it had had with the UK Government on the development of its wrasse complex fisheries management plan, including the potential to develop similar measures in Scottish waters.

In its response of 24 December 2024, the Scottish Government indicates that it has no plans to introduce a total allowable catch limit for each of the five species of wrasse. It points to overall catch limits being applied in Norway, but it considers that, since that approach is based on a fixed point in time, it is not a valid measure of sustainability. Additionally, the Government highlights an unintended consequence of Norway’s catch limits, whereby fishers seek to land as many fish as possible before the overall limit has been reached.

The petitioner considers that a daily or weekly catch limit could be set to prevent all the fishing effort taking place at the start of the fishing season. The Scottish Government’s response also mentions that it is co-funding a PhD research studentship to investigate the appropriate principles of possible catch rules for wrasse species.

Regarding engagement with the UK Government, the Scottish Government states that it set out the selection criteria that were used for the first fisheries management plans in the joint fisheries statement. Additionally, the Government has commissioned the Seafish industry authority to undertake initial scoping work to help inform Scotland’s approach to FMPs for non-quota species, including wrasse. That work involves engagement with the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

As recently as June, the Scottish Government published the “Regulated commercial use of traps/pots to catch wrasse in Scottish inshore waters: Fisheries Assessment”. In response to that assessment, the petitioner welcomes the fact that wrasse fishery is now closed in special areas of conservation and in some nature conservation marine protected areas. However, he is disappointed that the assessment still does not include a total allowable catch stock assessment or anything relating to managing the fishery outwith those areas.

We have received a very late submission from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands—it arrived yesterday. That is quite difficult, as we have not had time to properly consider it ahead of the petition, but it touches on some of the matters that I detailed in my preamble. Do colleagues have any suggestions as to how we might proceed?

Are colleagues content to close the petition?

Members indicated agreement.

PE2120, which was lodged by Tam Wilson on behalf of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to permanently remove peak fare pricing from ScotRail services. I express appreciation to all those who have contributed further evidence to the committee on the matter. The committee will be aware of the action that the Scottish Government has subsequently announced. In the light of that, and given that the petition’s objective has been achieved, are colleagues content to close the petition?

Members indicated agreement.

We congratulate those who have been associated with the petition’s aims and note its achievement.

Primitive Goat Species (Protected Status) (PE2151)

The first new petition for consideration is PE2151, lodged by Kenneth Erik Moffatt, which calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to help ensure the survival of primitive goat species in the Scottish Borders by granting them protected status. I believe that the petitioner may be with us, and I invite any colleagues who wish to address the committee in relation to the petition to come forward.

The Scottish Parliament information centre briefing for the petition highlights NatureScot’s position regarding what the body terms “feral goats”. Although NatureScot has indicated that some Scottish feral goat herds have been established for a long time and might be described as naturalised, it considers feral goats to be an invasive non-native species that has the potential to cause serious damage to habitats by way of overgrazing, for which reason they have to be managed. However, NatureScot recognises that feral goat herds are held in affection by people and often have strong local cultural links.

In its initial response to the petition, the Scottish Government makes it clear that it has no plans to provide full legal protected status for primitive goats. The Government echoes NatureScot in supporting the reduction of feral goat numbers to prevent damage to habitats or forestry, in a similar way to how deer populations are managed. Regarding the specific circumstances in the Scottish Borders, the Government submission states that it is for landowners to consider how any reduction in the feral goat population should be achieved in practice.

It is worth noting that the Scottish Government acknowledges that feral goats might have some positive benefits for biodiversity, such as providing food for eagles and carrion feeders and, more important, preventing open habitats from scrubbing over, with goats having already been used for that purpose in Tentsmuir in Fife.

We have received a submission from the Wild Goat Conservation Trust in support of the petition. It argues that granting protected status to wild goats would enable regulation of numbers through licensing, so that there would always be a healthy herd of wild goats in balance with the rest of the upland wildlife.

In additional submissions, the petitioner provides extensive evidence on primitive goat herds’ unique nature, and he objects to NatureScot and the Scottish Government’s use of the terms “feral” and “invasive” as opposed to “wild”. In his view, those terms mischaracterise the importance of an endangered species and make it easier to oppose the granting of protected status. The petitioner also deplores what he calls the “overzealous culling”—his words—of wild goats in the Langholm and Newcastleton hills, which he sees as unethical and unsustainable.

We have received a submission in support of the petition from our colleague Emma Harper, and we are joined by our colleagues Rachael Hamilton and Craig Hoy. I invite them to offer the committee any pearls of wisdom ahead of our consideration of the steps that we might take. I take it that Rachael Hamilton will go first.

That is the dead hand of NatureScot—sorry, my prejudice has been provoked again. At times, I find it difficult to understand what the connection is between NatureScot and the people on the ground and in communities. Do colleagues have any thoughts or suggestions?

We could couple that with a reference to the fact that the petition has attracted an unusual degree of public support and we could draw attention to the number of individuals who have supported it. We could also reference the fact that some of the evidence that the Scottish Government apparently believes NatureScot has acted on has been directly challenged by those in the communities, who I imagine know more about the subject than NatureScot does.

PE2153, which has been lodged by Lisa Williams, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to reduce council tax by 50 per cent for single persons.

The SPICe briefing for this petition explains that most single-person households receive a 25 per cent council tax discount, which is also available if only one person living in a property is liable for council tax. Additionally, the Scottish Government’s response explains that, apart from the single-person discount, there is the council tax reduction—or CTR—scheme, which is designed to reduce the council tax liabilities of any household based on an assessment of income, capital and other circumstances. The Government indicates that currently more than 450,000 households in Scotland benefit from the scheme, and it encourages the petitioner to reach out to their local council to check their eligibility for CTR.

The Scottish Government and COSLA are undertaking a joint programme of engagement to consider potential council tax reform, aimed at improving fairness and sustainability. The Government suggests that the evidence gathered as part of that engagement work will form the basis of a Scottish Parliament debate in early 2026, with a view to informing the Parliament in the next session of the findings and potential directions for reform of the wider council tax system. However, I note that the minister concerned has already suggested that there will be a revaluation of council tax for properties in the next session, which, I would have thought, might have its own consequential issues.

Do members have any comments or suggestions for action?

We thank the petitioners and I hope that they will have noted the accompanying remarks that have just been made.