To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the recommendations made in the report "Review of the Regulatory Burden: IACS and Inspections in Scotland" have been implemented since its publication in January 2000. R (S1O-2363)

As Mr Fergusson is aware, we published an interim report in June 2000; a copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament information centre. Further progress has since been made, and I am pleased to say that the current position is that, of the 23 recommendations in the original report, 14 have been completed or are in the process of being completed. We are well ahead in taking action to implement a further five. The Executive has accepted the remaining four, but we require the co-ordinated action of the European Commission and the United Kingdom Government.

I take it that the answer is that five of the proposals have been implemented. Is it not the case that, some eight months after his original announcement, the minister has been quick to grab the headlines but has lacked the technical back-up that is required to deliver the proposals? Does he agree that the headline-grabbing proposal—with a promised £6 million—to implement an electronic cattle-tagging scheme is technically, practically and financially impossible to deliver within his intended time scale?

No. That proposition is completely without foundation and Mr Fergusson knows it. Moreover, he was not listening: I said that 14 of the 23 recommendations have been implemented. Mr Fergusson knows that the working group that is dealing with the implementation of electronic data transfer has been making good progress and that initial technical problems—which were discovered after my initial announcement—are being resolved. I hope to make an announcement on the progress of EDT very shortly.

In the interests of cutting paperwork, will the minister consider scrapping the June and December returns, as the integrated administration and control system paperwork now makes them unnecessary?

As Mr Scott knows, we are taking steps to reduce paperwork—that was one of the recommendations that came out of the IACS working group. We have asked the group to continue its work, so that, as representatives of the industry, its members can work with the rural affairs department and the Executive to make changes smoothly. We are progressing towards amalgamating the forms. The matter is in hand.