Chamber
Plenary, 01 Mar 2007
01 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
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 in agreeing that its potential impact is serious. Therefore, I do not necessarily disagree with Richard Lochhead, either. However, my concern is that although Jamie McGrigor and Richard Lochhead highlighted the disease's importance and the need to be alert to it, neither of them established whether the risk is high or how the disease is most likely to be transmitted.
The expert reports to which Jamie McGrigor was keen to refer in relation to the disease's importance make it clear that experts and scientists have assessed as "extremely low" the risk of Gyrodactylus salaris entering the United Kingdom via fishing and boating equipment. Of relevance to that assessment is the knowledge that where the disease has occurred in Norway, equipment has never been implicated in the parasite's transmission between rivers. I and the Executive take seriously this extremely important matter, but transmission has not occurred by the means that amendment 1 or amendment 1A suggests. We must ensure that people who engage in fishing are as aware as everybody else is of the high risk.
Amendment 1 is not particularly workable. Often, points of entry from infected areas are not staffed by customs officials and, when they are, it is impractical to check every passenger. More important, the veracity of any declaration—if one were given—could not be established. That view is shared by HM Revenue and Customs, which was approached about the matter, and by the salmon angling representatives on the Gyrodactylus salaris task force that we established to develop our contingency plan.
Our preferred approach is to raise the ante by making all those who engage in relevant activity far more aware of the potential risks that are attached to the disease and of the considerable impact that any outbreak would have on Scotland's economy. Therefore, we have arranged a campaign, to which we are devoting additional resources. We are engaging with all people who come to Scotland and who book holidays here to advise and inform them of the danger that is associated with their bringing in the disease.
The expert reports to which Jamie McGrigor was keen to refer in relation to the disease's importance make it clear that experts and scientists have assessed as "extremely low" the risk of Gyrodactylus salaris entering the United Kingdom via fishing and boating equipment. Of relevance to that assessment is the knowledge that where the disease has occurred in Norway, equipment has never been implicated in the parasite's transmission between rivers. I and the Executive take seriously this extremely important matter, but transmission has not occurred by the means that amendment 1 or amendment 1A suggests. We must ensure that people who engage in fishing are as aware as everybody else is of the high risk.
Amendment 1 is not particularly workable. Often, points of entry from infected areas are not staffed by customs officials and, when they are, it is impractical to check every passenger. More important, the veracity of any declaration—if one were given—could not be established. That view is shared by HM Revenue and Customs, which was approached about the matter, and by the salmon angling representatives on the Gyrodactylus salaris task force that we established to develop our contingency plan.
Our preferred approach is to raise the ante by making all those who engage in relevant activity far more aware of the potential risks that are attached to the disease and of the considerable impact that any outbreak would have on Scotland's economy. Therefore, we have arranged a campaign, to which we are devoting additional resources. We are engaging with all people who come to Scotland and who book holidays here to advise and inform them of the danger that is associated with their bringing in the disease.
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...