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Agenda item 6 is consideration of the recommended candidates for appointment to the board of the Scottish Land Commission, including the tenant farming commissioner.

Last week, the committee agreed to hold a formal evidence session with the prospective candidates. Parliament has been given a role in approving Land Commission appointments, which in practice means that the committee will make a recommendation to Parliament. We have agreed to have this session to assist us in making an informed recommendation, taking into account the recommendations set out in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016.

I am pleased to welcome Dr Lucy Beattie and Dr Calum MacLeod, who have been nominated as land commissioners, and Robert Black, who has been nominated as tenant farming commissioner. I am grateful to you all for coming along today, and I commend you for putting yourselves forward for these important roles. We have before us information about you and your relevant skills and experience.

We will be going into questions, but first of all, as I will be asking about agriculture—which will not surprise you, Robert—I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests as a member of a family farming partnership in Moray. I have an old-style tenancy for a small bit of land as well as a non-agricultural tenancy for another bit of land, and I was also a surveyor for 12 years, doing agricultural land letting. I hope that that is a full enough declaration.

I also say at the outset that I was hugely impressed with the way in which Bob McIntosh took on the role of tenant farming commissioner and what he did in that role. I am glad to put that on the record, because I think that he made a huge step forward in a difficult area and his careful and considered judgment has made it easier for all sides to work together. That probably suggests the importance of the roles that we are addressing here.

My first question is for Robert Black. Can you explain what agricultural experience you would bring to the role of tenant farming commissioner?

Usually, I say that if people do not look away fast enough, I will nominate them. Calum, you can start off, and I think that Lucy will get a chance after that.

Thank you. That was very simple.

Our second item of business is a decision on taking items 7 and 8 in private. Item 7 is consideration of the evidence that we will hear on the appointment of the Scottish land commissioners and the tenant farming commissioner, and item 8 is consideration of the committee’s work programme. Do we agree to take those items in private?

Members indicated agreement.

“Clear as mud,” is the expression, I am sure, Douglas. Monica Lennon wants to come in.

It is always the short ones that cause the problem when it comes to legislation. I think that I am right in saying that, basically, the Scottish Government is reserving its right to use EIAs if the UK goes with EORs, that there is no intention of dumbing down the process or making it easier, and that the standards will remain the same. That is what I take away from what you have said. Have I got that right?

Okay. I will not dwell on that any more. However, the matter is quite complex and intricate, and I am not sure that I would have used the words “concurrently” and “after consultation” to make it easier to understand. I have made my point.

The next item on the agenda is a debate on motion S6M-15261, which calls on the committee to recommend the approval of the draft order. I remind the committee that only the cabinet secretary and members may speak in the debate.

Deputy First Minister, I invite you to move the motion and to speak further to it if you feel that you would like to.

Motion moved,

That the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee recommends that the Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) Order 2025 be approved.—[Kate Forbes]

We move to item 5, which is consideration of two negative instruments.

The purpose of the two SSIs is to jointly introduce a decriminalised parking regime in the West Dunbartonshire council area. They are laid under the negative procedure, which means that they could come into force unless the Parliament agrees to a motion to annul them. No motions to annul have been lodged, and the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee had no comment on either of those instruments in its report.

No member has any comments on either instrument. I note that the policy note that goes with the instruments could have been simpler and easier to read.

I invite the committee to agree that it does not wish to make any recommendations in relation to the Road Traffic (Permitted Parking Area and Special Parking Area) (West Dunbartonshire Council) Designation Order 2024 (SSI 2024/270). Are we agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Thank you. I would say that the agricultural law in Scotland is quite cluttered with numerous acts that have been amended. Some of those acts still relate to old-style tenancies, for lack of a better description, while others relate to newer-style tenancies and reviewed tenancies—and some will relate to even newer newer-style tenancies, if the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill goes through.

Can you tell me a little bit about your experience in that regard? Do you feel comfortable working under the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991 and the Agriculture (Scotland) Act 1948, and subsequent acts? It is quite a role, which involves not quite mediation, but working between landlords and tenants.

Good morning, and welcome to the 33rd meeting in 2024 of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee. I welcome our new member of the committee, Kevin Stewart, who replaces Jackie Dunbar. Jackie was one of the original members of the committee—she has been on it since it was formed in this parliamentary session. I know that all committee members would like me to put on the record our thanks for the way in which she has worked to help us to achieve our aim. As convener, I found her advice and her ability to work across parties extremely helpful.

As this is Kevin Stewart’s first time at the committee, I invite him to declare any relevant interests.