The Scottish Parliament: - Committees - Rural Affairs and Environment

The remit of the committee is to consider and report on agriculture, fisheries and rural development and other matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment.

Membership

Maureen Watt (Convener)
John Scott (Deputy Convener)
Karen Gillon
Liam McArthur

Alasdair Morgan
Elaine Murray
Peter Peacock
Bill Wilson

For further information on the Committee's current and past membership including substitutes, follow this link. Information on how to contact the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee can be found on the Contact Details page.

News Releases
Holyrood committee visits Western Isles to see first-hand challenges facing modern crofting

Current Business
The Committee has agreed a work programme to the end of April 2010. Please note that this may be subject to minor changes. For details of future meetings please contact the Clerk. The Committee was designated as lead committee to scrutinise the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill and has issued a call for views to inform its consideration of the Bill at Stage 1. Further information on this work, Committee correspondence and information on petitions being considered by Committee, may be found on the Current Business page.

Committee Meetings
View live Committee meetings or View archived Committee meetings Next Meeting: 3rd Meeting, Wednesday 10 February 2010 Papers 3 (963KB pdf first posted 08.02.2010) The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 1. 1. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will consider the following negative instruments— the Snares (Scotland) Order 2010(SSI 2010/8); and the Sea Fish (Prohibited Methods of Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2010 (SSI 2010/9). 2. Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from— Sir Crispin Agnew; Simon Fraser; Keith Graham, former Principal Clerk to the Scottish Land Court; and then from— Dr Jean Balfour, Chair, Crofting Group, and Richard Blake, Legal Adviser, Scottish Rural Property and Business Association; Jonathan Hall, Head of Rural Policy, National Farmers' Union Scotland; Marina Dennis, Vice-Chair, Scottish Crofting Federation. 3. Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill (in private): The Committee will review the evidence heard earlier in the meeting. 4. Crofting Reform ( Scotland ) Bill (in private): The Committee will consider its approach to the scrutiny of the Bill for the remainder of Stage 1. Last Meeting: 2nd Meeting, Wednesday 20 January 2010 Papers 2 (203KB pdf first posted 18.01.2010) Minute of Proceedings of Meeting 20 January 2010 Official Report of Meeting of 20 January 2010 Previous Meetings

Committee Reports
Recent Committee Reports: 28 January 2010 Scottish Government response to the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy report 25 January 2010 2nd Report 2010: Report on Subordinate Legislation 22 January 2010 1st Report 2010: Report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the UK Flood and Water Management Bill - LCM (S3) 24.1 30 November 2009 13th Report 2009: Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy 12 November 2009 12th Report 2009: Subordinate Legislation 28 October 2009 Government response to Stage 1 Report on the Marine (Scotland) Bill 12 October 2009 Report on the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill 08 October 2009 11th Report 2009: Stage 1 Report on the Marine (Scotland) Bill Previous Reports.