Hansard

I recognise and understand why tail shortening is a highly emotive topic right across the chamber. My colleagues on the Conservative benches and I strive for the highest level of animal welfare.

The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee sat through many hours of evidence on both sides of the argument. A wide range of people, from gamekeepers to farmers—all of whom are dog lovers and are committed to the welfare of dogs—contributed to the committee’s evidence sessions, expressing their support for changes to the legislation.

I make it clear that we are supportive of the ban on tail docking that is in place. However, having considered the available evidence very carefully, we have taken the decision to support the Government in creating an exemption to the ban on tail shortening for a very limited number of working dogs.

It is important to clarify exactly what the exemption will mean. It will permit the shortening, by up to a third and by a vet, of the tails of spaniel and hunt point retrieve puppies when a vet believes that they are likely to be used as working dogs and possibly risk serious tail injury later in life.

Tail shortening will quite rightly continue to be illegal for the vast majority of dog breeds. The change will bring us into line with similar exemptions that already exist in the rest of the United Kingdom.

We believe that permitted tail shortening will reduce the incidence of painful injuries that a working dog can sustain later in life—injuries that could lead to the amputation of a dog’s tail.

Let us not forget—and I am sure that on this we can agree across the chamber—that all vets are committed to improving animal health and welfare. Vets will always act in the best interest of the animals they are treating. We are allowing vets to make professional, informed and considered decisions as to whether a puppy that is presented to them from a breed of dog with a higher chance of tail injury is likely to be used as a working dog. That is the right decision to take. I have trust in our vets. I trust them to make the right decision to reduce the risk of extreme suffering for working dogs.

The problems are not just external. As Peter Chapman mentioned, we are now at risk of staff burnout: staff are being put under enormous pressure for another year because of shortcomings that had nothing to do with them. The 2016 Audit Scotland report found that the IT division and the programme team do not work as one. That is an area that John Finnie touched on. Administrative problems have also led to some farmers receiving duplicate payments, which together are valued at £490,000. That adds an administrative cost for their recovery.

Presiding Officer, it is clear: the SNP simply does not care about rural Scotland. It is no wonder that rural Scotland sent it a message earlier this month. Their safest seats turned blue in order to put some proper pressure on this incompetent Government. When it should have been sorting this mess out, its mind was on one thing only—furthering its cause of independence.

To finish, I will note what local farmers ask me about the First Minister. They ask, “What will it take for her to consider her own position on the matter?” On the eve of the Royal Highland Show, that is certainly a fair question.

On balance, members on the Conservative benches believe that tail shortening is a humane method of reducing the chance of the undisputed extreme pain and long-term suffering that tail injuries can cause working dogs. It is for those reasons that the Scottish Conservatives will support the SSI.