Hansard

The Convener (Finlay Carson) Con

Good morning, and welcome to the 26th meeting in 2025 of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee. Before we begin, I ask members to please ensure that all el...

The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Jim Fairlie) SNP

Thank you, convener, and good morning. Thank you for inviting me to speak to the draft Free-Range Poultrymeat Marketing Standards (Amendment) (Scotland) Reg...

The Convener Con

Thank you very much, minister. I call Rhoda Grant.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

We welcome the instrument, as it could encourage free-range breeding in Scotland. However, how will you ensure that chickens that are not bred as free range ...

Jim Fairlie SNP

Those birds would not already have free-range status; under this instrument, the birds would already need to have that status. This only works when a housing...

Rhoda Grant Lab

So, if someone applied for such status when a derogation was in place, there would be checks and balances to ensure that the chickens in question would, unde...

Jim Fairlie SNP

Even if a housing order were in place, they would not be able to apply for free-range status unless they had all the other things in place that they would ne...

Rhoda Grant Lab

Okay, and checks will be made at that point.

Jim Fairlie SNP

Yes.

The Convener Con

I call Tim Eagle.

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

I hope that you can hear me. Apologies that I cannot be there this morning quite yet. Minister, I welcome this; it is brilliant. I take your point that it i...

Jim Fairlie SNP

I agree. I seem to remember that we had a similar conversation when we were talking about the derogation for eggs, so we had a discussion before I came to co...

Tim Eagle Con

That is fine, minister.

The Convener Con

I have a follow-up question. With egg marketing, were you aware of any issues with supermarkets not making it clear to consumers that free-range eggs could n...

Jim Fairlie SNP

No. Joe Kirk and I were discussing that just before we came in. In the early days—Joe will correct me if I am wrong—officials went out to see what supermarke...

The Convener Con

Other supermarkets are available.

Jim Fairlie SNP

Other supermarkets are available.

Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Green

I have a couple of questions. We do not have any free-range producers at the moment, but if we were to have them, have you given any consideration to introdu...

Jim Fairlie SNP

I have not given any consideration to that on the basis that we do not have anyone in this country right now who is doing free-range poultry meat. There migh...

Joe Kirk (Scottish Government)

You are absolutely right—while a housing order is in place, when birds have been used to getting free-range access, there is always a concern that denying th...

Ariane Burgess Green

It sounds as though it is a guideline rather than a requirement to look after those animals, but I am grateful that you understand that a shift in conditions...

Jim Fairlie SNP

I am not sure how we tackle zoonotic diseases in a transient wild bird population. There needs to be an understanding that we have transient and migratory bi...

Ariane Burgess Green

I think that is worth looking at the food system.

The Convener Con

I am sorry, Ariane, but we are moving off topic. I do not think that it is fair to ask the minister questions about the broader implications of avian flu.

Ariane Burgess Green

I will take it up with him directly.

Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

If we are looking at labelling for supermarkets, will the SSI have any impact on restaurants, supply chains and chain restaurants?

Jim Fairlie SNP

The same principle will apply. If someone wants to market their product as free range because that suits their business model and it is the kind of model tha...

The Convener Con

The minister has suggested that there is no free-range meat production in Scotland at the moment, but you referred to the work that was done on free-range eg...

Jim Fairlie SNP

I am sorry, convener, but I am being a bit dense. I do not understand the question.

The Convener Con

Let us say that I had a farm and my chickens were generally outside, but the housing that I had for them was far from adequate—maybe I had only a few sheds, ...