Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 30 October 2025 [Draft]
30 Oct 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
The bill is not designed to define the role of NatureScot, but I am happy to take on any considerations or feedback from any member who has specific issues around conflicts of interest. If the member has specific examples of what he means by conflicts of interest, he is most welcome to write to me with them.
We will, no doubt, get into the detail of the committee’s report and its recommendations as we debate the bill today, but there is one part in particular that I would like to address now. Although it is generally supportive of the approach in parts 1, 3 and 4 of the bill, I recognise that the committee raised issues about the extent of the delegated power taken in part 2 and the concerns that were raised by environmental non-governmental organisations that the power could be used to dilute environmental protection.
Let me be absolutely clear that the Scottish Government is unequivocally committed to protecting our environment, and the bill has not been designed to dilute environmental protection.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-19422, in the name of Gillian Martin, on the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill at stage 1. I invite mem...
The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy (Gillian Martin)
SNP
I am very pleased to open today’s debate on the general principles of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill. This Parliament has a long and proud record of...
Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
The cabinet secretary will be aware that, during the committee’s scrutiny of the bill, stakeholders expressed concern about part 4, which provides more power...
Gillian Martin
SNP
The bill is not designed to define the role of NatureScot, but I am happy to take on any considerations or feedback from any member who has specific issues a...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Gillian Martin
SNP
I will finish this point and then take the member’s intervention. Part 2 is designed to address a legislative gap that was left by EU exit and to complement...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
That is a very useful update from the cabinet secretary, because it concerns a key issue. Many organisations are deeply worried about the possibility that we...
Gillian Martin
SNP
The reason why I wanted to finish the point before I took Sarah Boyack’s intervention was because I wanted to stress that I am listening and am thinking of l...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I remind members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak buttons. 14:41
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee to set out the findings of our stage 1 report. The committee began its scrutiny of...
Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests—I have a small farm up in Moray. After an eventful week with the Land Reform (Scotland) B...
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Some of the challenge in deer management comes from the differences between Highland and lowland deer management. My understanding is that the code of practi...
Tim Eagle
Con
I agree with that. There is a big difference between upland and lowland deer management, and it is essential that the code of practice recognises that and ta...
The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Jim Fairlie)
SNP
I ask the member whether the urgency to have all that delivered before the stage 1 debate, when we still have stages 2 and 3 to go, is a bigger imperative fo...
Tim Eagle
Con
It is not—I accept that. It is not about not getting it right; it is about having all the information at hand early on, so that we can be sure that we are ha...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to open the debate for Scottish Labour and to give my support for the principles of the bill, but I also highlight that the gaps in the bill nee...
Maurice Golden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
Yes, if it is brief.
Maurice Golden
Con
Does Sarah Boyack agree that we need to define what a national park looks like so that we can have a meaningful consultation with communities?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
Defining boundaries is important, but it is also about giving national parks support so that they can fulfil their full potential to lead on nature recovery,...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
At long last, the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill has been introduced in the Parliament, and not a moment too soon, because we are deeper than ever in th...
Tim Eagle
Con
Will Mark Ruskell take an intervention?
Mark Ruskell
Green
If there is time in hand, I will.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
There is a brief amount of time in hand.
Tim Eagle
Con
I will make a point on the biodiversity targets. Do you agree with Open Seas when it said in its response to the bill that targets are worth while only if th...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Always speak through the chair.
Mark Ruskell
Green
Absolutely. That is exactly what my colleague Lorna Slater, when she was in government, was working on through the biodiversity strategy and the delivery pla...
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
I thank the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee clerks and all the witnesses and stakeholders who contributed to the stage 1 process. The Scottish Liberal D...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We move to the open debate. 15:12
Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
SNP
We should recognise at the outset that the bill before us today is the product of extensive and patient engagement by the cabinet secretary and her bill team...