Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 01 October 2025 [Draft]
01 Oct 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Urban Gulls Summit
I, too, wish that the summit had been more inclusive. For example, Councillor John Divers, who has been trying to find a solution to the problem in Elgin for years and who has a wealth of knowledge and experience, should have been involved.
Is the minister aware that the Joint Nature Conservation Committee has said that the national population estimates of herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls from the seabird 2000 census are considered unreliable because of the likely underestimation of roof-nesting gull numbers? Is he also aware that it takes NatureScot six weeks to approve a licence to remove eggs and nests but that the gestation period for the eggs is only four weeks? Those birds will have flown long before a licence is approved.
We want to protect gulls in their natural environment, but there are genuine public safety concerns in urban areas, so will the minister work with communities, be more open minded and inclusive, hear the concerns that they have and take action that will keep people safe?
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a statement by Jim Fairlie on the urban gulls summit. The minister will take questions at the end of his statement, so there sho...
The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Jim Fairlie)
SNP
The issue of urban gulls resonates with many of us across the chamber. The concern has been raised repeatedly by constituents, councils and communities acros...
Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
You do not want them in the room.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
Are you going to listen? Members: Oh!
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Minister, please resume your seat. I want to ensure that we have some order in this chamber. Mr Ross, the minister has the floor, and I have already said tha...
Jim Fairlie
SNP
I will repeat what I said. One of the functions of being a Government minister is to use that convening power to bring people into the room. That is particul...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
The minister will now take questions on the issues raised in his statement. I intend to allow around 20 minutes for questions, after which we will move to th...
Douglas Ross
Con
First, we had the stushie around the Government not wanting to provide that statement at all. Then, we had the sham of the summit itself. I have been contact...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Mr Ross, you need to ask your question. You are over your time.
Douglas Ross
Con
My question to the minister is this. After the summit, he was speaking about how poorly NatureScot had determined licences. He said that it was asking for “r...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Can I have your question, please, Mr Ross?
Douglas Ross
Con
Those are the minister’s words—it is “completely and utterly ludicrous and I absolutely accept that.” Minister, can you tell us why you still defend Nature...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Always speak through the chair.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
Let us be clear: the jokers on the other side of the chamber are not taking this seriously. There was never a request for a statement until it came in, and I...
Douglas Ross
Con
Jamie Hepburn might disagree.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
There was never a request for a statement, as Mr Ross absolutely knows. Interruption.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Members, let us hear the minister.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
Mr Ross talks about people who were not represented at the summit. Requests for representation were sent out to people who needed to be in the room. What we ...
Douglas Ross
Con
Don’t repeat it!
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Members, please.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
Yes, it talked about people waving their arms in order to distract birds, and, yes, it talked about staring at seagulls because seagulls do not like eye cont...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Members!
Jim Fairlie
SNP
If they want to have a serious discussion, let us have a serious discussion. Clearly, not one of them understands the complexity of a bird’s brain, which is ...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, wish that the summit had been more inclusive—
Jim Fairlie
SNP
I cannot hear, Presiding Officer. Will you ask Conservative members to please be quiet?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Minister, I am in the chair, and I will deal with things. Interruption. I heard you, minister. Please sit down for a second, Ms Grant. I have already said t...
Rhoda Grant
Lab
I, too, wish that the summit had been more inclusive. For example, Councillor John Divers, who has been trying to find a solution to the problem in Elgin for...
Jim Fairlie
SNP
Rhoda Grant has raised a number of points. I have the seabirds count data, which shows the percentage change between 2000 and 2020-21. Black-headed gull numb...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I advise the chamber that 11 members seek to pose a question. I would like to take all 11, but we need succinct questions and succinct responses.
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
Gulls are indeed a nuisance, but there will be gulls only where there is easy food, which is often supplied by our own throwaway waste. No food, no urban gul...