5. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scotland’s Rural College regarding plans to close the Inverness veterinary laboratory since the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee meeting on 2 September 2015. (S4O-04592)

There has been contact at official level between Scotland’s Rural College and Scottish Government staff since the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee meeting on 2 September 2015. I congratulate the committee, of which Rob Gibson is convener, on taking evidence on this subject.

SRUC provided an update on its appearance at the committee and outlined its initial plans for veterinary surveillance. The Scottish Government now awaits a more detailed update from SRUC on its proposals on the change to the network of veterinary disease surveillance centres and the future of its private business.

Does the cabinet secretary agree that nothing should be done by SRUC to undermine the services or the excellent skills that are offered by the staff at Drummond Hill vet lab in Inverness? Will he seek agreement from SRUC to stop any move of work such as serology from Inverness to Edinburgh, which is planned for October, until a final decision has been taken by ministers on the SRUC plans to retrench in Edinburgh and close the Inverness site?

Given the importance of having a proper and robust veterinary disease surveillance system in Scotland, I urge SRUC to take seriously the concerns that have been expressed about the proposals, as I am sure that it is doing.

Of course, the Scottish Government funds part of SRUC’s work, and there is a strategic management board that oversees its proposals and will continue to oversee the amended proposals that we expect to receive shortly. The purpose of the management board is to reassure ministers that any new system that is put in place, with any changes to it, is adequate for Scotland’s needs.

The serology work is a private commercial business that the college runs for its scheme members. As such, the Scottish Government has no influence on how that scheme operates. On that subject, of course, I urge SRUC to heed the concerns that have been expressed about that service as well, and to ensure that it gives an adequate response on that issue to MSPs and stakeholders.

The cabinet secretary will be aware that the Auchincruive facility in my constituency is also under threat from SRUC’s proposals. That matter was also raised at the committee’s meeting.

Can the cabinet secretary inform Parliament of any discussions that Government officials might have had with the University of Glasgow’s school of veterinary medicine? That is important because, in addition to Auchincruive providing an important facility to local farmers, it is a key facility in the training of Scotland’s vets and has played a crucial role in disease prevention in the past.

Although I await SRUC’s formal amended proposals, I know from my officials that conversations are taking place between Glasgow vet school and SRUC in response to some of the concerns that local stakeholders and, indeed, Adam Ingram and others, have expressed. Until I have seen the final proposals, I am unable to give any further details to Parliament. However, I will keep a close eye on the matter. I urge Adam Ingram and others to continue to make their representations.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

I offer my abject apologies to those members whom I have not been able to call.