Committee
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee 18 January 2023
18 Jan 2023 · S6 · Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Item of business
New Petitions
Sale of Raw Milk (PE1978)
That is my thought, too. We could write to the NFUS.
In the same item of business
The Convener
Con
Our final new petition, PE1978, which was lodged by Cristina Rosique-Esplugas—I apologise if that was not the correct pronunciation—calls on the Scottish Par...
David Torrance
SNP
On the basis of the guidance from Food Standards Scotland, historic evidence and the weight of opinion from the scientific community, can we close the petiti...
The Convener
Con
How do colleagues feel about that? Obviously, we could explore the matter further with Food Standards Scotland, but the direction in relation to Scotland see...
Paul Sweeney
Lab
I can understand the point about whether we will be able to get anywhere with the petition. However, I am curious as to why there is a difference between the...
The Convener
Con
Clearly, the 1983 ban would have been introduced pre-devolution. The ban in 2006 was post-devolution, so I do not know whether we were following any national...
Alexander Stewart
Con
I am content to close the petition, because we know what the answer will be and extending our investigation would only prolong the situation. Where we are wi...
The Convener
Con
Are we minded to close the petition but nonetheless think that it is worth while to ask the question, so that we have the answer to hand? What do you think, ...
Fergus Ewing
SNP
I suppose that our primary function is to give voice to petitioners. I agree with Mr Torrance that there is zero chance that Food Standards Scotland will mov...
The Convener
Con
It is clearly reassuring to those of us on the committee that the Scottish National Party is such a broad church in terms of the views and personalities that...
David Torrance
SNP
I am quite happy to withdraw my recommendations and to write to—
The Convener
Con
It is not so much that you are withdrawing your recommendations as it is that we are deferring them subject to that further advice being received.
David Torrance
SNP
Yes—until we get that information back.
The Convener
Con
That makes perfect sense.
Paul Sweeney
Lab
Is there a successor to the Milk Marketing Board? Does that exist any more, or was that function disbanded long ago? I remember that there was a national aut...
The Convener
Con
You are looking at me as if I ought to be an authority on these matters. Although Mr Ewing and I might be at the older end of the lifespans that are represen...
Paul Sweeney
Lab
Dairy UK is the national trade association, so it might be worth asking it the question, too. I was just looking online to see whether I could find out more ...
The Convener
Con
I suppose that we might also usefully ask the industry for information. I am not quite sure whether the petition is arising out of an industry concern or whe...
Fergus Ewing
SNP
We could ask NFU Scotland as well, but I suspect that its members will be concerned about the reputation of dairy farmers, because it is a highly specialised...
The Convener
Con
That is my thought, too. We could write to the NFUS.
Fergus Ewing
SNP
The dairy farmers do a brilliant job. Anyone who watched “This Farming Life” on television yesterday evening will have seen dairy farmers in the south of Sco...
The Convener
Con
Do members agree to take the action as discussed? Members indicated agreement.
The Convener
Con
From our liberal consumption of the milk of human life, we come to the end of our consideration of new petitions.