Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick) NPA

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-01679, in the name of Rob Gibson, on the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee’s scruti...

Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) SNP

The common agricultural policy proposals that are to be set in place by January 2014 must be made to be good for Scotland’s highly successful food and drink ...

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Con

Does the convener agree that there is also a need to create a year-on-year national reserve, so that people who enter farming after the base year are able to...

Rob Gibson SNP

We do, indeed, believe that a national reserve is very important.Stakeholders were concerned about the trigger for eligibility for payments, and the new entr...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith) Lab

I call Richard Lochhead, who has a tight nine minutes.15:17

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment (Richard Lochhead) SNP

I am delighted to speak on the future of the common agricultural policy. I thank the committee for bringing this important debate to Parliament.This is a cru...

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

I warned the cabinet secretary that I have a brief point to make. What are his views on what the voluntary modulation rate and the rate of co-financing will ...

Richard Lochhead SNP

I thank the member for the notice that he gave me just before I sat down. He raises an important issue. On co-financing and pillar 2 of rural development fun...

Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD) LD

The roadshow that his officials conducted in Shetland was extremely helpful, but the statement that there would be little or no change to the bureaucratic im...

Richard Lochhead SNP

Tavish Scott raises a very good point. The only bit of good news that I have on that point is that all member states across Europe share his concern. I hope ...

John Scott (Ayr) (Con) Con

Will the cabinet secretary give way?

Richard Lochhead SNP

I apologise to Mr Scott for not giving way, but I am running out of time.Future CAP processes must be simpler for farmers and Government alike, with regulato...

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

I am pleased to open for Labour in the debate.I welcome the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee’s work in considering the CAP reform prop...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

You should begin to conclude.

Claire Baker Lab

I have only one paragraph left, Presiding Officer.Such a cut would be very difficult for Scottish farming and would make it very difficult for the CAP to del...

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Con

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests.The backdrop to the debate is interesting in that, until recently, the typical reaction fro...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

We now turn to the open debate. Speeches are of six minutes, but as we are very tight for time, it would be appreciated if members were able to make their co...

Aileen McLeod (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

As a member of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, and as a South Scotland list MSP who represents a large rural and farming communi...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

I reiterate to members how short of time we are and that we will not be able to get everyone into the debate if members take more than six minutes. I therefo...

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate on the common agricultural policy. I congratulate Rob Gibson and the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and...

Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP) SNP

As is Alex Fergusson—his recent departure from the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee has deprived the committee of a valued and conside...

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

Last week, I remarked on how unusual it was to have a committee debate before a report had been published. That worked well in last week’s Education and Cult...

Jean Urquhart (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

Farming and rural communities will welcome the programme of meetings that are being held across the country, and the invitation to submit recommendations. It...

Jim Hume (South Scotland) (LD) LD

I thank the clerks and the Scottish Parliament information centre for their hard work on the subject and on the many other subjects that the Rural Affairs, C...

Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

Presiding Officer, I have a confession to make: I cannot pretend to understand properly the common agricultural policy, some of which is mind-boggling in its...

Alex Fergusson Con

I am sorry to interrupt a very good speech. Does Mike MacKenzie accept that the door of DEFRA is, as I understand it, open to the cabinet secretary, just as ...

Mike MacKenzie SNP

I am delighted to take Alex Fergusson’s assurance that the door is now open, although I am sure that he would agree that there have been occasions in the pas...

Jim Hume LD

Is Mike MacKenzie just picking numbers out of the blue?

Mike MacKenzie SNP

I understand that the number of MEPs would be in the region of 20. Of course, that will be a matter to be decided when the great day comes. I look forward to...

Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab) Lab

Having recently left the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, I would like to start by saying how much I enjoyed serving on that committe...