Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 24 January 2017
24 Jan 2017 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Forestry
I move amendment S5M-03573.1, to leave out from “welcomes” to end and insert
“recognises the importance of retaining local expertise and cross-border joint working and urges that the end result of this process is not needless centralisation; welcomes the future increase in the Scottish Government’s annual target to create 15,000 hectares of woodland per year, but notes that it is not meeting current, lower targets; recognises that forestry has an important role to play in achieving Scotland’s climate targets; calls on the Scottish Government to take effective action in order to deliver the target and maintain the National Forest Estate as an asset for the nation, and recognises that forestry is a long-term project that requires a long-term vision for a thriving sector.”
References in this contribution
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-03573, in the name of Fergus Ewing, on developing forestry in Scotland. 14:55
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity (Fergus Ewing)
SNP
Trees cover 18 per cent of the land area of Scotland. Our forestry resources represent 45 per cent of the United Kingdom total and 60 per cent of UK softwood...
Peter Chapman (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I refer members to my register of interests. I am glad to be able to speak in the debate today—especially as we await the final plans from the Scottish Gov...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Peter Chapman
Con
I will not at this point. I am sorry; I do not have much time. I am convinced that there are large swathes of land in Scotland where sheep have already gone...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Please conclude.
Peter Chapman
Con
I will leave it there. We can use carbon capture and help to alleviate flooding and we know that trees will take in carbon. Presiding Officer—
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Just move the amendment now, please.
Peter Chapman
Con
My colleagues and I are ready to work with the Scottish Government to deliver—
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
And move your amendment. Just move your amendment, please.
Peter Chapman
Con
—but we remain concerned that not enough work is being done.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
No. We are moving on.
Peter Chapman
Con
I move amendment S5M-03573.1, to leave out from “welcomes” to end and insert “recognises the importance of retaining local expertise and cross-border joint ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Is that how long a conclusion takes? I call Rhoda Grant to speak to and move amendment S5M-03573.2. You have six minutes—and I know that you will not be nau...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
You are tempting me, Presiding Officer. We welcome the further devolution of the Forestry Commission, which should help the Scottish Government to achieve i...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
Will the member take a brief intervention?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
The member is in her last minute.
Rhoda Grant
Lab
I cannot take an intervention. I am sorry. That would, of course, require Government funding, which has too often been not well thought out or sustainable. ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
That was not bad, Ms Grant. I call Andy Wightman, who has six minutes, please. 15:22
Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green)
Green
Six minutes, Presiding Officer?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Six minutes precisely and no more.
Andy Wightman
Green
Thank you. I welcome this debate on developing forestry in Scotland, as it is nine years since the subject was last debated in Government business. I starte...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
We move to the open speeches. We are tight for time and there is no time in hand, so any interventions will have to be contained in members’ six-minute speec...
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I remind members that I am the parliamentary liaison officer for the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity. Forestry, woodlands and trees are...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
Although the forestry sector employs more than 25,000 people across Scotland, the industry is of particular importance to the economy of rural Scotland, incl...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
I will make some observations for what I think is likely to be a consensual debate—we are all travelling in the same direction on forestry, which is good. F...
Fergus Ewing
SNP
Is the member sure?
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
I am pretty sure that he supports Forres Mechanics. I apologise to Jim Mackinnon if I am wrong about that, but I am pretty sure that I am correct. In Scotla...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
As we have heard, forestry bestows on us numerous benefits. The forest policy group depicts the scope excellently, stating that woodlands can double as “a b...
Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP)
SNP
I will look at the issue from the standpoint of meeting our sequestration targets and the role that farming can play in that. That is not to diminish the imp...