Meeting of the Parliament 28 January 2026 [Draft]
I thought that the clerks were doing our job for us and rushing Mr Ross.
Amendment 60 relates to the requirement for NatureScot to
“prepare and publish a report on the gull population in urban and coastal areas of Scotland.”
We know that there are gaps in the data that is available to us. Surveying urban gulls, for example, presents more challenges. I appreciate that members desire to improve the data. However, I must stress that it is not feasible to deliver a complete survey of breeding gulls every year in Scotland without a significant resource implication, which would divert resources from practical gull management.
My amendment 60 ensures that a report on the gull population is deliverable. Requiring a report every five years is more practical. It allows us to balance the need for good data with the need to deliver meaningful gull management and mitigation action. The reporting period will also complement other existing data that will be obtained from the seabird censuses.
My amendment defines the species of gull that are to be included in the report. A report on the gull population with no definition of species is not workable.
Amendment 60 provides clarity on how the report will be conducted.