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Every contribution to the Official Report — chamber and committee — searchable in one place. Pulled from data.parliament.scot, indexed for full-text search, linked through to every MSP.

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2,354,908

Hansard contributions

1999–2026

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Official Report

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Showing 60 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · NHS Grampian (Savings)

I was delighted to get the final health question of this parliamentary session. Ahead of today’s questions, I asked the people of Moray what issues I should raise. Katrina asked about attracting health professionals, and Helen raised concerns about children and young people. Z...

8. Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · NHS Grampian (Savings)

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that NHS Grampian is looking to save £177 million over the next five years, what impact this will have on the board's staff and services, and, in particular, on Dr Gray's hospital. (S6O-05708)

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Direct Support Payments

The rural support plan that was published just yesterday is a huge let-down. It is not just me who is saying that—many stakeholders are, too. Importantly, the figures in the plan amount to a real-terms cut of about £250 million, which is a huge decrease in funding to our rural...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Remote, Rural and Island Communities (Sustainability)

Before I start, I want to thank Oliver Mundell. He has been a great colleague, and I thought that he gave a really good speech on rural Scotland and what it means.I also thank Mairi Gougeon for the work that I have been able to do with her over the past year. It is frustrating...

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

First Minister’s Question Time

Answer the question.

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

First Minister’s Question Time

I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests—I am a small farmer.This is one of those moments not of anger, but of disappointment. It is disappointing that the Scottish Government waited until the last days of the parliamentary session to release the rura...

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

My apologies, Presiding Officer.Finally, I thank my colleague Edward Mountain, who has been an incredible campaigner for rural Scotland. This Parliament will miss Edward Mountain greatly. He has worked across benches and within the Scottish Conservative Party, and he has done ...

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

You see why I did not want to say that on the public record.

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests: I have a small farm, albeit that it is not a croft.Crofting is one of the defining features of life in the Highlands and Islands. I am certainly not the first to say it, but crofting is not simply a system of ...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Sport and Activity as a Force for Good

I thank Brian Whittle for securing the debate. I have been here for two years, and he and I have had more conversations in the stairwells about sport, and the power of sport in people’s lives, than I care to remember. He is a true champion of sport in Scotland, and I hope that...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

Amendment 35 is my only amendment to the bill, so I will just speak briefly to it.Section 8 of the bill, which deals with assignations to family members, will amend the 1993 act. The bill, as amended at stage 2, will insert two new subsections in section 8 of the act.The 1993 ...

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

There is no doubt that we will fix the problem today. Willie Rennie is right that we all want the bill to be passed, because that is the right thing to do. However, there are little things that we could have added—the bells and whistles, as he says. Amendment 33 would be one o...

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

On Willie Rennie’s advice, I did not lodge hundreds of amendments to the bill, which I was going to do. I thought that I would be reasonable and lodge just three. I have lost on two of my very reasonable amendments, but I hope that I will not lose on amendment 33.For, I think,...

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

I could just say “Ditto” to what Murdo Fraser said, as my amendment 27 is almost exactly the same as his amendment 12, with just a wee difference.We need to consider the real effect of the liability on destination management companies and businesses that have booked way in adv...

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

I want you to reconsider that position. I am not sure that I understand what the objection is to having such exemptions, because it seems perfectly right to do so. We are not talking about a huge amount of people, and there is already the example of Edinburgh, which has proved...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

I do not intend to speak for very long.At stage 2, I brought to the committee a concern and a national exemption on health grounds. My theory is that, in the Highlands and Islands—and, in fact, across the north-east—it is very common for people to have to travel for healthcare...

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time · Oral Questions (Annual Staff Resource Cost)

I did not think that there would be much of a cost, but the wasted parliamentary time is another matter. Since January last year, there have been 55 not lodged questions, 38 of which were from the Scottish National Party, with one former First Minister failing to lodge a quest...

3. Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time · Oral Questions (Annual Staff Resource Cost)

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the estimated annual staff resource cost is to the SPCB of administering the random selection and processing system for oral questions that result in a “not lodged” status. (S6O-05646)

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Topical Question Time · Cost of Living (Support for Families)

Let me get to my constituents, who are deeply troubled. It is great that we have extra money coming in from the Scottish Government, and I applaud that, but we need it now. When are we going to get the details of how people can apply? People say that the weather in March comes...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Topical Question Time · Cost of Living (Support for Families)

Isn’t it crazy? People across Scotland are suffering with heating oil prices and we are here talking about independence. This is just the Scottish National Party going mad, isn’t it? It is absolutely crazy. Interruption.

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I have to be quiet now.

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

It is about sending a clear message that the Government is genuinely trying to make sure that this industry is viable in the future while also protecting our landscape, our seabed and everything else, and ensuring the welfare of the sea salmon population. Maybe I am alone on t...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

My understanding is that, when the Norway model started, in 2017, it was primarily for sea lice on wild salmon, but since then it has expanded to take other factors into account. That is my understanding—please correct me if I am wrong.I am trying to consider the importance of...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I think that it can be.

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

Oh, but can it be?

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

It is a difficult situation, is it not? I found that when we discussed our report previously. We all want to tackle rural depopulation and support an industry that is valuable to Scotland, but, at the same time, we want to ensure that the industry works for communities and the...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

Convener, my earlier question might fit into this aspect. Should I ask it now or leave it to the end?

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

On the wider point about what is going on in the background, not directly related to this matter, there is a lot of private work going on to restore salmon populations in rivers. I do not want to get too distracted by that, because we are talking about salmon farming, but it i...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

Some of this has been touched on, but the committee recommended an immediate end to the siting of salmon farms in the close vicinity of known migratory routes for wild salmon. There is a massive on-going discussion about the interaction between salmon farming and wild salmon a...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I mean in relation to sea lice and the wider points relating to escapes, wild salmon interactions and so on.

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

Are you putting in place any interim measures relating to environmental harm while all of that is going on in the background?

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I understand that the implementation of several key recommendations on sea lice escapes and wild salmon interactions is being delayed because of on-going legal proceedings, with the timetables not going forward. Fisheries Management Scotland has raised concerns that the absenc...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

Thank you for your patience, convener.

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

It is not as though these proceedings are being broadcast. .

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

Maybe not if it was a one-off event, but if it happens year on year—

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I am trying to get to the day-to-day practicality. It goes back to Fin Carson asking whether a fish farm would need to be shut down. I wrote down what you said earlier about that, because you said that companies are not in control because of various other factors. My point is ...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

But we have repeated evidence of significant mortality—even 80 per cent and above in some cases—and a mortality rate of 20 to 30 per cent, whereas Norway is trying to keep the rate between 5 and 15 per cent.

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

You have repeatedly said this morning that you do not think that there is persistent high mortality, yet we do not set a figure for what constitutes high mortality. In the initial evidence session on the matter, you said that you did not think that that was a helpful conversat...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I think that this committee is great, but this is not the opening night of a blockbuster and yet we have a packed public gallery today, because public confidence in the sector is at its lowest level and people are genuinely very interested in this issue. What I am trying to ge...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

So, all of that data is out there, but it is not easily comparable.

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

Do you publish the data that you hold?

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I was going to ask a few of the questions that Emma Roddick has just picked up on, but there is something that I want to be absolutely clear on, given that we must finalise our report at the end of this and identify updates. Is it right that we have data for individual fish fa...

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

General Question Time · Infrastructure (Local Authority Support)

That seems to be passing the buck back to councils, which simply do not have the capital budgets to do the work. My constituents do not want to hear about who did or did not support the budget or what council budgets are not. They care about the fact that bridges are crumbling...

3. Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

General Question Time · Infrastructure (Local Authority Support)

To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it will provide to local authorities to address ageing infrastructure, including bridges. (S6O-05597)

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I seek to withdraw the amendment. I was simply trying to reiterate the point about the struggle that some caravan parks in rural Scotland are facing.Amendment 28, by agreement, withdrawn.Section 3 agreed to.After section 3

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I will be very quick. My amendment 28 would add to the list of accommodation providers. It would extend the list to include all sites operated by a local authority. Concerns have been raised that a visitor levy will drive people out of regulated spaces such as caravan parks—ca...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Committee

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I draw members’ attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am a small farmer and therefore operate a business in a rural area, albeit that the visitor levy would not apply to me.I will speak briefly to my amendments 23 to 27, 30 and 31, all of which seek to...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Wildfires in Scotland

This is my final question. I do not want to use the term “silly question”, because it can be quite a serious one, but it needs to be asked. Michael Bruce made a good point. It is more than just an issue for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service—it is one for everyone. At the mo...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Wildfires in Scotland

Staying with Jon Henderson, I might have picked this up completely wrongly, but when I was speaking to people in Carrbridge, some of the gamekeepers told me that there used to be a system whereby equipment on the estate could be used, and was insured by, the Scottish Fire and ...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Committee

Wildfires in Scotland

Thank you, convener. Feel free to encroach on anything. Yes, theme 2 turns to short-term and long-term planning.I am up in Moray, so I was quite close to the big wildfire at Dava and Carrbridge last year, and I went out to see some of the communities afterwards. The two things...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Accident and Emergency Services (Pressures)

I declare an interest, in that my wife is a practising GP with the national health service.I thank Jackie Baillie for bringing this important debate to the chamber. We had a bit of back and forth with Labour’s business manager about the content of the motion, but that was not ...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Childcare Support for Parents

I, too, congratulate Roz McCall on securing the debate. It is interesting to hear, from across the chamber, about situations that I found myself in years ago. I am lucky in having three children, the youngest of whom is now 10, so the immediate, early years of childcare have g...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I know that there is a complexity behind this, because we have had reports and various responses to consultations from certain groups arguing strongly against the salmon farming industry. It would just be interesting to know the sort of thing that I have been asking about, giv...

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I would agree. We do not live in a simple world, do we?

Tim Eagle Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I appreciate that. I guess that every complaint has to be taken on its merits, but it would be interesting to know whether the majority of complaints come from, say, local people who might have seen something whilst out walking their dog or whether most of them come from large...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I see from our papers that Salmon Scotland has questioned why the committee has not looked more into anti-salmon farming campaign groups and what that means. When we talk about complaints and such, do you think that there are more vexatious complaints that are trying to close ...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

First, I want to respond to Willie Rennie—ever the father of the house—giving us that guidance on bells and whistles. I have to throw a tantrum and tell him that I like bells and whistles and I want to put lots of things into this vital bill. However, I thank him for his advic...

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Public Services (Funding)

That is not what I said.

Tim Eagle Con Chamber

Public Services (Funding)

I want to focus on that point, because it is crucial. I came down to the Parliament in 2018 to discuss it with the then Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution, Derek Mackay. The problem with the COSLA funding formula is that it requires the entire COSLA body—all th...

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Committee

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee 25 February 2026 [Draft]

25 Feb 2026 · S6 · Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Item of business

Salmon Farming in Scotland

Carson, Finlay Con Galloway and West Dumfries Watch on SPTV

Our next agenda item is an evidence session for the committee’s follow-up inquiry into salmon farming in Scotland. When the committee published its report, back in 2025, we made a commitment to review the progress made by industry and the Scottish Government after one year.Today, we will hear from a panel of stakeholders before we take evidence from the cabinet secretary in a few weeks’ time. I welcome to the meeting Professor Cathy Dwyer, who is the chair of the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission; Ben Hadfield, who is the director at Salmon Scotland; Dr Amy Jennings, who is the veterinary lead at the Animal and Plant Health Agency; Peter Pollard, who is the senior lead for projects at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency; Neil Purvis, who is the delivery lead for the fish health inspectorate, from the marine directorate of Scottish Government; and Dr Alan Wells, who is the chief executive of Fisheries Management Scotland. You are all very welcome.You do not need to operate your own microphones, as the gentleman here will do that for you.I also welcome to the meeting Edward Mountain MSP, whom I will bring in to ask questions at the end of the session. I invite Edward to make any declaration of interests.

In the same item of business

The Convener Con

Our next agenda item is an evidence session for the committee’s follow-up inquiry into salmon farming in Scotland. When the committee published its report, b...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

I remind committee members that I have an interest in a wild salmon fishery on the River Spey, which is on the east coast of Scotland. It is not directly—as ...

The Convener Con

We have allocated around two hours for this session, and we have quite a few questions to get through. I therefore ask that questions and answers be as succi...

Ben Hadfield (Salmon Scotland)

I thank the committee for the invitation to speak.We have made enormous progress in relation to transparency and reporting on mortality. People can look at i...

The Convener Con

Sorry, Ben, but could you speak up a little bit? I am struggling to hear. Thank you.

Ben Hadfield

I hope that the committee recognises that it is now the most transparent of all animal production systems in the UK. I am quite pleased with what we have don...

The Convener Con

There is no question but that the committee believes that the figures that you publish are transparent. However, what is published is only above a certain th...

Ben Hadfield

You have to remember that the most important thing that fish farmers do is keep the fish alive and in good welfare. That is part of good business and is prof...

Neil Purvis (Scottish Government)

I would like to clarify that the information that the fish health inspectorate receives is what we need to do our job. We publish that information because of...

The Convener Con

I put the same question to Professor Cathy Dwyer. Are you content that the level of reporting on mortalities is fit for purpose and gives the consumer confid...

Professor Cathy Dwyer (Scottish Animal Welfare Commission)

SAWC has not looked at that area specifically, so I cannot answer in depth, because we have not investigated the mortality reporting for salmon. We still hav...

Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) SNP

I have a question that is probably for Peter Pollard. One of the things that SEPA has looked at is a new digital regulatory platform. I am interested to know...

Peter Pollard (Scottish Environment Protection Agency)

We are looking at a system to support separate projects, which is looking at co-ordinated consenting.

The Convener Con

I am sorry, but can I stop you? We are really struggling to hear you, so perhaps we will have to put the mics up or adjust the volume. I am certainly struggl...

Peter Pollard

The digital project that you referred to is linked to a project that all the regulators are working on with the Scottish Government to look at co-ordinated c...

Alasdair Allan SNP

Is the platform live yet?

Peter Pollard

At the moment, it is at a very early stage. The consenting process is at a pilot phase—11 applications are going through a pre-application process. Four have...

Alasdair Allan SNP

The Convener Con

I will go back to my initial question. I appreciate Neil Purvis’s response, which was that the data that he receives is sufficient for him to carry out his j...

Ben Hadfield

I understand what you are asking. I still maintain that the industry has stepped forward to be the most transparent protein producer in the British Isles. Pa...

Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

Good morning. My questions are for Ben Hadfield.We could probably debate, back and forth, for a very long time whether the mortality rates are acceptable, bu...

Ben Hadfield

I respect the question, but I will push back on it a bit. The mortality rate in the Faroe Islands, where it is relatively easy to farm salmon—the environment...

Emma Roddick SNP

What about consumer choices? Should people not be able to understand the scale of mortality, given that you produce food that people buy?

Ben Hadfield

You have to go back to the fact that salmon as a species are strategists. On average, a female salmon produces between 10,000 and 15,000 eggs. Last year, the...

Emma Roddick SNP

Is that the industry’s strategy as well? You are talking about percentages rather than how many fish—sentient beings—have died.

Ben Hadfield

It is the strategy of the species. Salmon farming mortality rates are very low compared with all other forms of marine and freshwater aquaculture. The rate i...

Emma Roddick SNP

Will you do so without reporting all the deaths?

Ben Hadfield

We report the mortality rates. At the moment, the mortality rate in my company is below 0.7 per cent a month. We have 24 million fish in farmed Scottish wate...

The Convener Con

A lot of this is about public confidence. I understand that different animal production systems’ mortality rates need to be viewed differently. If you have a...