Mairi Gougeon: The member will, no doubt, be aware of our commitments to supporting our livestock sector and to supporting food production, which we continue to do through direct payments. I have made that commitment clear in this debate and previous debates in the chamber. On the impact of the trade deals that I just outlined, members do not need to take my word for it. An independent report by the...
Mairi Gougeon: .... I will touch on a number of important matters that were raised in the debate. One such matter, which came through quite strongly and was mentioned by a number of members, is the importance of our livestock industry. We know what the Climate Change Committee spelled out in relation what it thinks needs to happen to livestock numbers for us to meet our net zero targets. I want to be...
Mairi Gougeon: ..., the Dogs Trust and Cats Protection, among others, and we meet regularly to discuss a range of welfare issues, including, more recently, the cost of living crisis and its impact on pets as well as livestock. As I said in my response to Audrey Nicoll’s initial question, there are a number of charities that offer help and support, such as the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. I previously...
Mairi Gougeon: ...closed circuit television in abattoirs, and they are undertaking reviews of the use of electronic training collars for dogs as well as gathering evidence on the incidence of dog attacks on livestock. We look forward to Emma Harper’s member’s bill on that subject being introduced in the near future. On the illegal trade in puppies, we delivered two very successful public awareness...
Mairi Gougeon: ...a sustainable future we have to take a holistic and integrated approach in which all issues are taken into consideration. Although many farmers and crofters are already playing their part, we need everyone to do more. If Scotland is to achieve net zero emissions by 2045, the country and everybody in it, including our farmers and crofters, will be presented with challenges and...
Mairi Gougeon: ...in various television programmes that have conflated systems around the world with farming systems here, when they are absolutely nothing like them. There is a lot of work to be done. We need to acknowledge better the good work that farmers are doing, and to consider how we can better advertise that and get the word out about what is happening. To that end, we are working on various...
Mairi Gougeon: Keepers must meet animals’ welfare needs under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. The Scottish Government introduced the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill to amend the 2006 act by increasing available penalties for cruelty offences and introducing a new procedure to allow animals, including farmed animals, that are taken into possession...
Mairi Gougeon: ...work as MEPs, alongside key stakeholder bodies, on the issue. The European Commission’s consultation is live and I strongly urge Scotland’s sheep farmers and crofters to respond to it. They need to make their views known in support of the current wording of the new regulation. Last year, the Scottish Government supported the sector’s efforts to persuade the European Union to...
Mairi Gougeon: ..., led by Scotland’s chief veterinary officer. Our work is supported by expert independent advice on farmed animals through the United Kingdom Farm Animal Welfare Committee. We recognise the need for similar independent, impartial expert advice on issues relating to domestic and wild animal welfare, which is why we committed in the programme for government to establish a Scottish animal...
Mairi Gougeon: Livestock worrying is being carefully considered by Emma Harper, who is considering introducing a member’s bill on the matter. It is an important issue, on which the Government is looking to launch a survey in the coming months. Work that we do on that will not be affected by the establishment of the animal welfare commission. I completely understand the need for urgency, and the Scottish...
Mairi Gougeon: ...As I said, it is hard not to be passionate about the sector as a whole. At the same time, however, we have to be aware of the challenges, one of which is Brexit. Mike Rumbles thinks that we do not need to talk about it and Peter Chapman sees it as an opportunity; I beg to differ. I realise that Brexit is not the only challenge that we face, and others were articulated by members across the...
Mairi Gougeon: ...to animal welfare, and know that she has raised this issue in a chamber on a number of occasions. I want her to know that I share her passion for the welfare of animals and that, in the care of livestock, we adhere in all circumstances to the highest standards and regulations issued by the European Union. This Government recognises, as does the dairy sector and NFU Scotland, that the issue...
