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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 6 August 2025
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Displaying 418 contributions

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Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill

Meeting date: 17 November 2021

Mercedes Villalba

The current provisions seem to make exceptions for the tail docking of working dogs and the declawing of cats. In the light of those exceptions, are you satisfied with the legislation? Does it go far enough?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 3 November 2021

Mercedes Villalba

The bill seems to be quite narrow in scope, specifically focusing on the good food nation plans. What was the thinking behind that? What are the practical implications of having such a focused purpose for the bill?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 3 November 2021

Mercedes Villalba

I think that a lot of people expected that a right to food would be included in the bill. Can we expect to see that? If not, why was that decision taken?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Scotland鈥檚 Island Communities

Meeting date: 6 October 2021

Mercedes Villalba

It is important that island impact assessments do not become just a box-ticking exercise and that, if concerns or issues crop up through the assessments, they are acted on. Are witnesses able to share any examples that they have come across where a concern or issue that was raised in an impact assessment has had a substantive impact on a public body鈥檚 course of action, so that something has been implemented off the back of the assessment?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Scotland鈥檚 Island Communities

Meeting date: 6 October 2021

Mercedes Villalba

We have significant public ownership of island transport infrastructure, including ferries and HIAL, which has experienced industrial disputes recently because of the centralisation of its air traffic controller jobs to the mainland. My question is for Jenny Milne and Alex Reid. Do you have any views on the responsibility of the Scottish ministers to island communities in relation to public ownership of transport infrastructure as it relates to connectivity and jobs for the islands?

12:00  

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Farming and Crofting

Meeting date: 22 September 2021

Mercedes Villalba

I will stay with the topic of land use and management. The number of farmers is reducing, we have an ageing population and many potential new farmers are priced out of starting up because of the cost of land. The recent programme for government contained commitments on modernising tenant farming and reforming legislation on small holdings. Are there any measures that the witnesses would like to be taken to make things easier for potential new producers starting out and to put power into the hands of people who work the land?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Fisheries and Aquaculture

Meeting date: 15 September 2021

Mercedes Villalba

My questions are about fishing management. The marine protected areas were designated in 2014. I believe that NatureScot gave advice on fishing management in 2013, which stated that dredging and trawling ought to be banned in a number of MPAs. However, there are still many MPAs where those activities continue unrestricted. Are the NatureScot representatives concerned that their advice has not been heeded? What do all the witnesses think that we can do to ensure that similar mistakes are not made in the creation of the new future fisheries management strategy?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Fisheries and Aquaculture

Meeting date: 15 September 2021

Mercedes Villalba

Good morning. My question relates to labour, particularly off the back of what Jimmy Buchan said about the need for a global workforce. Constituents in my north-east region have raised concerns about the living and working conditions of some workers in the industry, particularly those who come from international areas, such as the Philippines. What more do panel members think can be done to protect the rights and wellbeing of workers locally, whether they are from Scotland, Europe or somewhere else? What can be done to create decent jobs in local communities, as well?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Fisheries and Aquaculture

Meeting date: 15 September 2021

Mercedes Villalba

As has been said, we are facing a climate and ecological emergency. We have also heard about the importance of blue carbon as well as the damage that is being done to our marine environment by some parts of the fishing industry. Are any sections of the fishing industry incompatible with Scotland鈥檚 ambitious targets?

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

Meeting date: 8 September 2021

Mercedes Villalba

Given that HIAL is publicly owned and that the Government has a policy of repopulating islands, I am surprised that more has not been done. However, it is good to hear that you are engaging with different stakeholders.

I am aware that the matter falls under the remit of the transport minister. The workers and their trade union representatives have written to him, asking to meet him. Would you encourage him to meet them?