Chamber
Plenary, 15 Mar 2007
15 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Red Deer (Rum)
I, too, congratulate Jamie McGrigor on securing this members' business debate. Given the wide public debate on and media interest in the matter, it is appropriate that members are able to raise their concerns with us.
Very difficult situations can arise when nature conservation objectives come into conflict. The situation on Rum is a classic example of that, and I feel that the review of SNH's management plan, which will take place later this year, will be the best place for the debate on how to manage and meet the different concerns with regard to the proposals for the island.
Before the debate, I discussed the matter with the chair of SNH, Andrew Thin, who assured me that the organisation will be open and inclusive in its approach to the review of the management plan, with the aim of balancing the reasonable objectives of different interests while meeting SNH's legal obligations.
Very difficult situations can arise when nature conservation objectives come into conflict. The situation on Rum is a classic example of that, and I feel that the review of SNH's management plan, which will take place later this year, will be the best place for the debate on how to manage and meet the different concerns with regard to the proposals for the island.
Before the debate, I discussed the matter with the chair of SNH, Andrew Thin, who assured me that the organisation will be open and inclusive in its approach to the review of the management plan, with the aim of balancing the reasonable objectives of different interests while meeting SNH's legal obligations.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S2M-5492, in the name of Jamie McGrigor, on Rum's red deer. The debate will be concl...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes that the red deer is an iconic part of the image of Scotland; further notes that, because of its isolation, the red deer herd on Ru...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I am grateful to the BBC's "Landward" programme for alerting the public to the subject of this debate. The programme is a great champion and watchdog of rura...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
The island of Rum contains one of the oldest-known sites of human habitation in Scotland and it was not so long ago that it had a population of well over 400...
John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD):
LD
As Jamie McGrigor said, the red deer on the island of Rum are a unique breed. Extensive culling of the deer population, as is proposed, would be a retrograde...
Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green):
Green
I thank Jamie McGrigor for bringing this topic to Parliament. I am sure that many of us have received e-mails and letters from people—not just from the Highl...
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Sarah Boyack):
Lab
I, too, congratulate Jamie McGrigor on securing this members' business debate. Given the wide public debate on and media interest in the matter, it is approp...
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
Will the minister give way?
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
No. I confess that I was tempted to intervene on the member's speech but, at this point, I would rather keep going.I urge all colleagues to make their consti...
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
With regard to the number of deer on Rum, Andrew Thin, in an e-mail to the Scottish Gamekeepers Association dated 25 May 2005, said that he was not sure why ...
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
I will come on to that. I spoke to Andrew Thin yesterday, so my information about SNH's current plans is up-to-date.I want to concentrate on why Rum was desi...
Mr McGrigor:
Con
Will the minister take an intervention?
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
I might take an intervention later.Deer influence the composition and structure of vegetation. That has to be managed by those who are looking after the feat...
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
No—
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
I am sorry. Fergus Ewing may disagree, but that is what I have been told.
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
Has Sarah Boyack ever been to Rum?
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
Yes, I have been to Rum.
Mr McGrigor rose—
Con
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
Some additional tree planting will take place this year in line with the current management plan. That will be done in areas where deer density is currently ...
Mr McGrigor:
Con
Thank you. The terrain on Rum is no more difficult than lots of places on the mainland. There are several ways of building fences. There is conventional fenc...
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
There is no suggestion that SNH is refusing to use deer fences around plantations. It is avoiding them because of landscape impacts, hindrance to recreationa...
Meeting closed at 16:49.