Former NFU chief to sit on connectivity committee

Farmer and former NFU Scotland vice-president, Peter Chapman, will be amongst the MSPs to serve on the Scottish Parliament's rural economy and connectivity (REC) committee.

Peter Chapman will sit on Holyrood's rural economy and connectivity committee. Picture: Contributed

The committee, which will scrutinise and call expert witnesses on this area and on the workings of cabinet secretary Fergus Ewing’s department, will be made up of 11 MSPs and will appoint a convener and vice-convener at its first meeting, which takes place tomorrow.

Joining the MSP for North East Scotland – who is the Conservatives party’s spokesman for agriculture – will be fellow Tories Edward Mountain, member for the Highlands and Islands, and Jamie Green, West of Scotland.

Five members on the 11-strong committee will be from the SNP benches: Stewart Stevenson, North East; Emma Harper, South of Scotland; Gail Ross, Highland and Islands; John Mason, Glasgow; and Richard Lyle, Central Scotland.

Liberal MSP, Mike Rumbles, North East, Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, Highlands and Islands, and Green MSP, John Finnie, Highland and Islands will complete the complement for the starting session.

• Former committee member – and former presiding officer of the parliament – Alex Fergusson received a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to politics, the Scottish parliamentary process and public life in Scotland.