Chamber
Plenary, 01 Mar 2007
01 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I will speak to amendments 1A and 15. I agree with Jamie McGrigor, not only with regard to the fact that the Parliament makes lots of laws but on some of his other points.
I lodged amendment 1A because, if the Parliament chooses to support Jamie McGrigor's amendment 1, the SNP's amendment will strengthen it by ensuring that the minister reports back to the Parliament within a year of the act coming into force on exactly what measures have been taken in conjunction with other UK authorities to stop GS coming into the country. I lodged the same amendment as stand-alone amendment 15, so that it can be voted on separately if the Parliament does not support amendment 1.
We can all agree that, if GS arrives in Scotland, it will be utterly devastating first and foremost for our rural economy, particularly for our freshwater fisheries, related tourism and jobs, and for the other industries that use our rivers, particularly the whisky industry and, increasingly, the renewable energy industry. It will also damage Scotland's image, which will be done no good whatever if we have rivers in which all the wildlife has been killed.
I, too, will quote from the Environment and Rural Development Committee's report on the bill, which says that the Association of Electricity Producers said in relation to the River Tay:
"If such an incident were to happen, we would have an on-going containment problem for evermore. Instead of thinking of ways of treating or containing it, we should be putting our minds to preventing it from entering our water system in the first place."—[Official Report, Environment and Rural Development Committee, 24 October 2006; c 3576.]
That shows that prevention is better than cure. I was going to quote the committee's recommendation in paragraph 99, with which we agree, but Jamie McGrigor did that.
On the damage that would be done to the whisky industry—as the representative of Moray, it is close to my heart—I have an e-mail that the whisky industry sent following the recent GS contingency planning exercise. The industry says:
"the exercise made it clear that if GS comes to Scotland then eradication will not be quick even if chemicals are employed … Repeat dosing of watercourses would mean repeated disruption to distilling activities and a higher likelihood of a negative impact on international consumer confidence. This has re-inforced our view on the importance of focusing on preventative measures."
It also says that the Government's assessment of the economic damage that would result from an outbreak of GS
"makes no mention of the broader impact … on the Scotch Whisky brand reputation internationally and consumer confidence."
I highlight that e-mail to the Parliament to reinforce the fact that the issue affects not just freshwater fisheries and anglers, although they are extremely valuable economically and for jobs, but other industries that use our river systems for their own ends, such as the renewable energy and whisky industries. It is imperative that we support the taking of steps at ports of entry, which the committee and the wider sectors that the debate affects support. It is also imperative to ask ministers to report to Parliament within one year of the act coming into force, to ensure that the issue is a priority for the Government.
I move amendment 1A.
I lodged amendment 1A because, if the Parliament chooses to support Jamie McGrigor's amendment 1, the SNP's amendment will strengthen it by ensuring that the minister reports back to the Parliament within a year of the act coming into force on exactly what measures have been taken in conjunction with other UK authorities to stop GS coming into the country. I lodged the same amendment as stand-alone amendment 15, so that it can be voted on separately if the Parliament does not support amendment 1.
We can all agree that, if GS arrives in Scotland, it will be utterly devastating first and foremost for our rural economy, particularly for our freshwater fisheries, related tourism and jobs, and for the other industries that use our rivers, particularly the whisky industry and, increasingly, the renewable energy industry. It will also damage Scotland's image, which will be done no good whatever if we have rivers in which all the wildlife has been killed.
I, too, will quote from the Environment and Rural Development Committee's report on the bill, which says that the Association of Electricity Producers said in relation to the River Tay:
"If such an incident were to happen, we would have an on-going containment problem for evermore. Instead of thinking of ways of treating or containing it, we should be putting our minds to preventing it from entering our water system in the first place."—[Official Report, Environment and Rural Development Committee, 24 October 2006; c 3576.]
That shows that prevention is better than cure. I was going to quote the committee's recommendation in paragraph 99, with which we agree, but Jamie McGrigor did that.
On the damage that would be done to the whisky industry—as the representative of Moray, it is close to my heart—I have an e-mail that the whisky industry sent following the recent GS contingency planning exercise. The industry says:
"the exercise made it clear that if GS comes to Scotland then eradication will not be quick even if chemicals are employed … Repeat dosing of watercourses would mean repeated disruption to distilling activities and a higher likelihood of a negative impact on international consumer confidence. This has re-inforced our view on the importance of focusing on preventative measures."
It also says that the Government's assessment of the economic damage that would result from an outbreak of GS
"makes no mention of the broader impact … on the Scotch Whisky brand reputation internationally and consumer confidence."
I highlight that e-mail to the Parliament to reinforce the fact that the issue affects not just freshwater fisheries and anglers, although they are extremely valuable economically and for jobs, but other industries that use our river systems for their own ends, such as the renewable energy and whisky industries. It is imperative that we support the taking of steps at ports of entry, which the committee and the wider sectors that the debate affects support. It is also imperative to ask ministers to report to Parliament within one year of the act coming into force, to ensure that the issue is a priority for the Government.
I move amendment 1A.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The next item of business is stage 3 proceedings on the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill. Members will be aware that they require the bill as amende...
Section 7—Code of practice
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
The first group of amendments is on the code of practice: unused fish farm sites. Amendment 14, in the name of Rob Gibson, is the only amendment in the group.
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
During stage 2, I raised the question of the way in which the approved code of conduct would act in terms of fish farms. That is a core element of part 1 of ...
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Sarah Boyack):
Lab
Amendment 14 is the same as a probing amendment that Rob Gibson lodged at stage 2. I said then that the Executive's intention was to strike a balance in the ...
Rob Gibson:
SNP
As the Environment and Rural Development Committee's stage 1 report suggested,"the long-term retention of sites which are left inactive is unacceptable."I ha...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
The question is, that amendment 14 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members:
No.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
There will be a division. I suspend the meeting for five minutes.
Meeting suspended.
On resuming—
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
We will proceed with the division.
ForAdam, Brian (Aberdeen North) (SNP) Baird, Shiona (North East Scotland) (Green) Ballance, Chris (South of Scotland) (Green) Ballard, Mark (Lothians) (Green...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
The result of the division is: For 32, Against 70, Abstentions 0.
Amendment 14 disagreed to.
After section 17
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
Group 2 is on the prevention of entry into Scotland of Gyrodactylus salaris. Amendment 1, in the name of Ted Brocklebank, is grouped with amendments 1A and 15.
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
This Parliament passes laws on all sorts of things, but only rarely can we honestly say that it is faced with an issue as important as that of Gyrodactylus s...
Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Will the member give way?
Mr McGrigor:
Con
Presiding Officer, may I give way?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
That is entirely at your discretion.
Mr McGrigor:
Con
I will happily give way.
Alasdair Morgan:
SNP
For the sake of other members, will Mr McGrigor explain precisely how proposed new section 5DA(1) of the Diseases of Fish Act 1937 is intended to work? How w...
Mr McGrigor:
Con
Presumably, if someone came to a Scottish airport, they would declare the items there. We would not have the power to make them declare the items at a UK air...
Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
I will speak to amendments 1A and 15. I agree with Jamie McGrigor, not only with regard to the fact that the Parliament makes lots of laws but on some of his...
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Ross Finnie):
LD
I do not disagree with Jamie McGrigor's point that Gyrodactylus salaris is an extremely important disease to deal with, and the Executive has no difficulty i...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
I appreciate the fact that the minister has strong views on Ted Brocklebank's amendment. However, the SNP's amendment 1A simply asks ministers to report back...
Ross Finnie:
LD
I am addressing the amendments in the order in which they were spoken to. I know that Richard Lochhead is anxious for me to respond to his amendments, but he...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
Because the lead amendment is subject to amendment, we will have two winding-up speeches. Mr McGrigor will wind up the debate on amendment 1 and Mr Lochhead ...
Mr McGrigor:
Con
I listened closely to what Mr Finnie said, but I still think that we should take further measures to strengthen prevention of the parasite ever reaching Scot...