Tory MSP Peter Chapman asks if it is still the plan to leave the Common Fisheries Policy in 2020.

"I do hope so, yes," replies Mr Gove.

It depends on when the UK Parliament passes the Brexit bill he adds.

Theresa May is giving MPs another chance to vote on Brexit in early June, it was announced yesterday.

Mr Chapman asks about the replacement of the European maritime fisheries fund.

The UK government wants to make sure more money is available and for the devolved this money as they see fit as it is devolved, Mr Gove says.

Image source, bbc

Last October Tory ministers insisted the UK will get a "fairer share" of fishing stocks after Brexit.

The government is publishing its Fisheries Bill which will determine how its stocks are managed after the UK leaves the EU.

At the moment, quotas are assigned to each EU member state, with limits on species.

The UK says it gets a bad deal under these current arrangements, known as the Common Fisheries Policy.

• UK 'to keep more of its fish' after Brexit
• Could big-game fishing return to the UK?

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Tory MSP Peter Chapman begins on fisheries and asks about the UK Fisheries Bill.

Mr Chapman asks what additional powers this bill will confer on Scotland.

Mr Gove replies the Fisheries Bill will provide an opportunity for the Scottish government to more efficiently manage Scottish fisheries.

Leaving the Common Fisheries Policy, external (CFP) will lead to thousands of additional jobs and thousands of additional pounds to be injected into the economy, insists the UK cabinet secretary.

Image source, Getty Images

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee will now take evidence from the UK environment, food and rural affairs secretary on the implications of Brexit.

The committee has already taken evidence on this theme, external focusing on agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

The REC committee took evidence previously via video conference from Michael Gove on 27 June 2018, external.

Read the committee papers here., external

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Mr Gove disappears for a moment but returns via video-link to point out the leader of the NFU wants to reach zero emissions in agriculture by 2040.

Sounding somewhat like he is underwater due to the link between parliaments, the UK environment secretary goes on to say Scottish agriculture can play a distinguished role in tackling climate change.

That ends this session and there will be a quick changeover of committees...

Mr Ruskell says there must be a full review of all government policies to combat climate change.

The UK environment secretary agrees areas like housing and transport, and investment in science and innovation must be looked at.

"I don't think there is any part of government that isn't effected by the challenge of climate change."

The Green MSP asks whether the third runway at Heathrow will be reviewed and whether the petrol car ban will be brought forward.

Regarding Heathrow, he says the plans are being developed in a way that is sensitive to climate change and air quality in south east England.

Mr Gove says the phasing out of petrol and diesel cars needs to be kept under review to see whether it can be made a "wee bit more ambitious".

Image source, Getty Images

The Scottish government will legislate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2045 after receiving fresh advice from an expert panel.

The Committee on Climate Change, external(CCC) urged that Scotland set the targetfive years ahead of the UK as a whole.

The panel says Scotland has more potential sites for carbon capture and a greater landmass for tree planting.

It came after a report to the UN last year urged the world to go "further and faster" in tackling climate change.

And at her party's conference First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declared a "climate emergency".

• Read more here
• What is climate emergency?

Image source, PA

The UK should lead the global fight against climate change by cutting greenhouse gases to nearly zero by 2050, a report says.

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) maintains this can be done at no added cost from previous estimates.

Its report says that if other countries follow the UK, there’s a 50-50 chance of staying below the recommended 1.5C temperature rise by 2100.

A 1.5C rise is considered the threshold for dangerous climate change.

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• Will the government pay you to go green?
• What do all the climate change terms mean?
• What is climate change?
• Read more here

Image source, bbc

Mark Ruskell reminds Mr Gove that he has met Greta Thunberg and read the Committee on Climate Change report calling for the UK government to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Teenage activist Ms Thunberg described the UK's response to climate change as beyond absurd in a speech to MPs.

The Green MSP asks: "Have you got good news for us in this committee this morning?"

"I'm afraid I can't make that announcement," replies Mr Gove.

The UK cabinet secretary explains there are overlapping and separate responsibilities with his department and with the business, energy and industrial strategy department.

The Scottish government and Scottish parliamentarians are making the case for more action he adds, which he welcomes.

Tory MSP John Scott asks about costs related to the shared objectives around climate change.

We will work with the Scottish government to ensure we have effective burden-sharing and also that we all enjoy the benefits of changes replies Mr Gove.

He points to renewables as an example, saying there are often high costs involved at the start hence subsidies, which were then removed when solar costs dropped.

Ms Beamish asks about the independence of any watchdog set up by the UK government.

"It's an arms length body that must be fully independent," replies Mr Gove.

Image source, Retuers

Last December we reported plans for a new green watchdog to protect the environment after Brexit had outlined by the UK government.

Ministers say the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) will be an independent statutory body to safeguard environmental standards in England.

It will have the power to take the UK government to court to enforce environmental law after Brexit.

Green groups question its independence and doubt the structure will replicate the EU’s environmental protections.

Ms Beamish asks if there are any concerns about divergence in environment policy.

There are some concerns, accepts Mr Gove, but the view across all parties in Scotland is that there should be a commitment to high environmental standards - therefore not requiring divergence.

The UK environment secretary says he has offered that the Office of Environmental Protection being set up in England could also have an office in Scotland.

Asked about legislation, he highlights draft legislation on the future environment bill has been published and feedback is being gathered.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish asks what the Scottish government's role in trade negotiations will be.

The UK cabinet secretary points out the Trade Bill is before the House of Lords and the Agriculture Bill is going to encompass animal welfare.

Mr Gove says parliamentarians from around the UK will be involved in any negotiations that take place.

He says leaving the EU will provide the opportunity to have an independent trade policy.

Image source, Scottish Salmon Company

SNP MSP Angus MacDonald seeks an update on the regulation and enforcement of salmon netting regulations in Northern England.

Mr Gove says salmon stock issues are taken extremely seriously and while enforcement is important, we need to look at land use and the impact of climate change too.

"The decline in salmon stocks is particularly worrying."

Wild salmon catches in Scotland are at their lowest level since records began, government figures have revealed.

Image source, PA

In January we reported plans for the way farming subsidies would be dealt with after Brexit were set out by Michael Gove.

Farmers will receive payments for "public goods", such as access to the countryside and planting meadows.

The environment secretary told farmers the government would guarantee subsidies at the current EU level until the 2022 election. There would then be a "transitional period" in England.

The National Farmers Union said it was time for "a new deal" for the UK.

• Farm subsidies 'must be earned' - Gove
• Countryside faces 'damaging uncertainty'
• Five times food fights have had an impact on trade talks
• Read more here

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson pivots to leaving the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Mr Gove insists the overall guarantee the UK government has given on farming funding is greater than any other EU country.

"The amount we spend on farming support and rural enterprise will remain exactly the same in terms of CAP until 2022," the UK environment secretary says.

He points out the money will increasingly be put towards public goods in England.

Image source, bbc

In February Scotland's Brexit Secretary Mike Russell pledged to resist any attempts by Westminster to impose common policy frameworks in the event of the "chaos" of a no-deal Brexit.

The Brexit secretary pointed out if the powers in the EU Withdrawal Act were used, it would freeze the Scottish government's cooperation.

Mr Russell told the Finance and Constitution Committee the Act was "dead to us and we don't acknowledge its legitimacy."

Holyrood's constitution committee has called on Scottish and UK ministers to resolve the "impasse" over devolution and consent "as a matter of urgency".

Its report said MSPs should not give their consent to the UK Trade Bill, external while the dispute continues.

The Scottish government is furious that the EU Withdrawal Act passed despite MSPs refusing to give it their backing.

And they have resolved not to put any more Brexit bills forward for votes at Holyrood until the row is resolved.

• What is the Sewel convention?

Ms Martin suggests some of the statutory instruments might not have been scrutinised as much as usual due to the timescales involved.

Will these instruments be reviewed, she asks.

Mr Gove says the UK government is "perfectly happy" to review any legislation.

Image source, bbc

A no-deal Brexit threatens billions of pounds of chemical imports, the head of the Chemical Industries Association, Stephen Elliott, has warned.

He says secondary legislation, needed to copy EU regulations into UK law, contains "significant gaps".

The loophole could halt UK imports of chemicals by EU-registered companies from countries outside the EU, he says.

"Put simply, the drugs don't work, the cars don't run and the planes don't fly without chemicals and chemistry."

• Read more here
• How ready is UK government for no deal?
• Brexit study warns over chemical industry