Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
The Committee focuses on areas including:
- rural land use, including farming and crofting
- food and drink supply chain
- animal welfare and wildlife crime
- fisheries and aquaculture
- issues relevant to the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 (external website)
The Committee's name changed from Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee to Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 1 February 2023.
Next meeting of the committee
Details of the next meeting are not available yet.
Dates for future meetings
Meeting details not set.
Previous meetings of the committee
Work of the Committee
Current work
Budget scrutiny 2023-24
Committee Advisers
Future agriculture policy in Scotland
Good Food Nation test
Hunting with Dogs Scotland Bill
Inshore fisheries
Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill
Petition PE1490 Control of wild goose numbers
Petition PE1758 End greyhound racing In Scotland
UK Common Frameworks
Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill
Completed work
Budget scrutiny 2023-24
Draft Joint Fisheries Statement
Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill
Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare Kept Animals Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Genetic Technologies Precision Breeding Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Shark Fins Bill
Petition PE1951 Reinstate inshore coastal limit on the use of dredge and trawl fishing gears
Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) (No. 2) Order 2022 (SSI 2022/35)
Future work
The Committee has agreed its work programme for Jan to June 2023 – please note, this may be updated to reflect changing parliamentary business
- Salmon farming in Scotland, including follow up on the Session 5 Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee’s recommendations on salmon farming and Professor Griggs’s review of the current regulatory framework for Scottish aquaculture
- Good Food Nation plans and implementation of the Good Food Nation legislation, including the creation of the Scottish Food Commission
- Island Plan annual reports and associated funding commitments
Wildlife Management (Grouse) (Scotland) Bill
Petition PE1490: Control of wild goose numbers
Petition PE1758: End greyhound racing In Scotland
Correspondence
Correspondence
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
3 May 2023
Letter from Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, 3 May 2023
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Petition PE1758: End Greyhound Racing in Scotland
28 April 2023
Supplementary submission from Professor Campbell, Greyhound Board of Great Britain, 28 April 2023
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Petition PE1758: End Greyhound Racing in Scotland
28 April 2023
Supplementary submission from Mark Bird, Greyhound Board of Great Britain, 28 April 2023
Official Reports of meetings
Official Reports of meetings
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Subordinate Legislation, European Union-United Kingdom Co-operation Agreement
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1, Galloway and Ayrshire National Park Proposal
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Subordinate Legislation, Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1, Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1, Subordinate Legislation
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Interests, Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill:Stage 1
Reports
Committee reports
Subordinate legislation considered by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 21 January 2026
Published: 27 January 2026
This report details the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee's consideration of the draft Animal Health (Fixed Penalty Notices) (Scotland) Regulations 2026.
Stage 1 report on the Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill
Published: 22 January 2026
This report sets out the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee's consideration of the Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1.
Subordinate legislation considered by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 17 December 2025
Published: 09 January 2026
This report details the Rural Affairs and Island Committee's consideration of the draft Common Organisation of the Markets in Agricultural Products (Fruit and Vegetables) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026.
Committee Remit
To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, with the exception of matters relating to land reform, natural resources and peatland, Scottish Land Commission, Crown Estate Scotland, and Royal Botanic Garden.
Current Members
Finlay Carson
Convener
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Beatrice Wishart
Deputy Convener
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Alasdair Allan
Member
Scottish National Party
Ariane Burgess
Member
Scottish Green Party
Tim Eagle
Member
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Rhoda Grant
Member
Scottish Labour
Emma Harper
Member
Scottish National Party
Emma Roddick
Member
Scottish National Party
Evelyn Tweed
Member
Scottish National Party
Full details of committee membership, including substitute and previous members