Meeting of the Parliament 29 January 2026 [Draft]
::I start by reminding members of my entry in the register of members’ interests.
At stage 3 of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, it is right that we step back and ask not only what this legislation seeks to do but whether it will genuinely deliver better outcomes for nature, communities and those who manage our land. There are parts of the bill on which there was once genuine consensus. The removal of part 2 on protected areas was a clear example of that. That section was taken out, because members across parties recognised that it was not ready, not workable and not supported by those who were expected to deliver it.
Scotland is not new to biodiversity plans. We have had strategies, frameworks and action plans stretching back decades. They have often been well intentioned and carefully drafted, yet too many have failed to halt decline. That failure has not been because of a lack of targets on paper but because of inconsistent political will, fragmented delivery and, in recent years, changes to budgets. Against that backdrop, the Scottish Conservatives do not believe that statutory targets, however well meaning, will succeed where previous approaches have struggled.
Targets alone do not restore habitats, support species or rebuild trust—practical, co-operative action on the ground does that. That is why co-operative deer management matters so much. For years, voluntary deer management groups have worked across boundaries, balancing environmental outcomes with animal welfare and the needs of rural economies.
Deer management is not just an environmental issue; it underpins jobs, sporting activity, tourism and fragile local supply chains. Changes proposed in the bill, when taken alongside the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 and the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024, have contributed to a growing sense in the rural sector that decisions are being done to them rather than with them and of a Government moving to make big changes in an area that needs time.