Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 20 March 2018
20 Mar 2018 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I will move amendment 41, in my name, which would require ministers to include planting targets in the forestry strategy. The main benefit that we want from the bill is more trees being planted. Amendment 41 is logical in that what it proposes would lead to measurable targets throughout each report on the strategy, and it would ensure continuity, even with a change of Government.
We will support all the amendments in the group, other than amendments 6, 33 and 34, which we do not think would strengthen the strategy. My colleague Jamie Greene will speak to the other amendments in the group in more detail.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
The next item of business is stage 3 proceedings on the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill. In dealing with the amendments, members should have the...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Amendment 29, in the name of Colin Smyth, is grouped with amendment 31.
Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Like members across the Parliament, I support the bill’s ambition to promote the sustainable management of forestry and the management of land for sustainabl...
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity (Fergus Ewing)
SNP
I share members’ ambitions for forestry in Scotland and I appreciate the good intentions of those who want to make clear our shared commitment to forestry an...
Peter Chapman (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I declare an interest as a farmer and a partner in a farming business in the north-east, although we do not have any commercial woodland on our farm. I welc...
John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
The Scottish Green Party will continue our support for this approach from Colin Smyth. It is important to see where it comes in the proposed legislation—obvi...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
Briefly, I think that it is a good idea to have a purpose section in a bill. Ideally, it should be written out at the beginning of the process so that the re...
Colin Smyth
Lab
Very briefly, I simply reiterate that the wording of the proposed purpose section underpins and does not put at risk the implementation of the individual sec...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The question is, that amendment 29 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Presiding Officer
NPA
There will be a division. As this is the first division of the proceedings, I suspend the Parliament for five minutes to call members to the chamber. 14:33 ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
We move to the division on amendment 29. For Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Beamish, Claudia (South Scotla...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The result of the division is: For 33, Against 91, Abstentions 0. Amendment 29 disagreed to. Section 2—Duty to promote sustainable forest management
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Amendment 30, in the name of Colin Smyth, is in a group on its own.
Colin Smyth
Lab
Amendment 30 seeks to extend the bill’s proposed statutory duty to promote sustainable forest management from ministers to other public bodies. The duty that...
Peter Chapman
Con
As the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee said in its stage 1 report: “The Committee recognises the benefits of sustainable forest management and agre...
Fergus Ewing
SNP
I thank Colin Smyth for highlighting the fact that sustainable forest management is not just the responsibility of one part of Government. The need to mainst...
John Finnie
Green
I support amendment 30. I listened intently to the cabinet secretary and everything centres around the words; Mr Smyth is encouraging a consistent approach a...
Colin Smyth
Lab
The proposal in amendment 30 was a clear recommendation by the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee. It is consistent with provisions in other legislatio...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The question is, that amendment 30 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Presiding Officer
NPA
There will be a division. For Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con) Ballantyne, ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The result of the division is: For 63, Against 61, Abstentions 0. Amendment 30 agreed to. Section 3—Duty to prepare forestry strategy Amendment 31 moved...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Amendment 3, in the name of John Finnie, is grouped with amendments 41, 4, 32 to 37, 5 and 6.
John Finnie
Green
During stages 1 and 2, the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee discussed the important issue of woodland creation and how the bill could best ensure tha...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Peter Chapman to speak to amendment 41 and the other amendments in the group.
Peter Chapman (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I will move amendment 41, in my name, which would require ministers to include planting targets in the forestry strategy. The main benefit that we want from ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Graeme Dey to speak to amendment 4 and the other amendments in the group.
Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP)
SNP
The bill includes an important new duty on Scottish ministers that has been welcomed by all parties and by stakeholders: namely, a statutory requirement to p...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Fulton MacGregor will speak to amendment 32 and the other amendments in the group.
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
SNP
This year’s parliamentary scrutiny of the forestry strategy was discussed during the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee’s consideration of the bill at ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Claudia Beamish to speak to amendment 33 and the other amendments in the group.