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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 16 August 2025
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Displaying 2161 contributions

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Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 15 June 2022

Jim Fairlie

Having spent 30 years in sheep farming, I dispute that.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 15 June 2022

Jim Fairlie

I have a question about predator control, and I am looking for clarification from Kirsty Jenkins, Robbie Marsland and, potentially, Pete Goddard on a couple of points. Mike Flynn has already answered my question.

I will use the word “pest”, because if you are an arable farmer and you are getting 10 acres of arable barley eaten by rabbits, rabbits are a pest to you. Do you agree that the ability to farm in this country requires a degree of ethical control of wild animals? I do not need a huge explanation, just an answer. Do you agree with the principle that we should be able to control them?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 15 June 2022

Jim Fairlie

Yes, but practically, how do you determine whether that fox is going to cause you problems? How do you do that?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 15 June 2022

Jim Fairlie

So, what would that evidence be?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 15 June 2022

Jim Fairlie

In that case, how can hunters maintain their sport while staying within the law?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 15 June 2022

Jim Fairlie

On the determination of whether there is a nuisance, if we accept that a fox will predate lambs and chicks during a particular season, would it not be more advantageous to deal with that before it becomes a problem rather than in the event of it becoming a problem?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 15 June 2022

Jim Fairlie

Thank you. We are short of time, but I am glad that we agree on that point.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 15 June 2022

Jim Fairlie

If the GB approach is continuing to prescribe a minimum number of consignments that must have been imported into GB for a product to qualify for a reduced frequency of checks, what is that minimum number of consignments?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 15 June 2022

Jim Fairlie

Okay. Thank you.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 15 June 2022

Jim Fairlie

Okay. I have a quick question about licensing. We have had various conversations this morning about the necessity of control. I do not think that there is any dispute—we have all agreed—that foxes, in particular, can be a pest to lambs and various other things. You spoke about exceptions to the exception, but is there not an argument for people having a seasonal ability to control fox numbers, rather than their having to say, “I have a particular problem right now and I need a licence to deal with it”? Is there not an argument for seasonal control rather than the issuing of one-off licences?