 Ie picwch cymryd wedi wneud dros, gwrth i ddim i, cynnyddiaeth mewn ailff radd, yn gyntaf iawn ni'n weithgafodd Gwydiannol, i gymryd pournol gan gyllidiaeth gyda IE, ac eu cyfrifeteg yr wyw gyllideb yn gweithio'r cyfrifeteg, ac yn gyntaf i Saesfaol ac ychydig yn gweld yn cyfrifeteg. I will be concluded without any questions being put, and I would invite those members who wish to speak in the debate to please press the request to speak buttons now or as soon as possible. I would also invite members once again who are leaving the chamber to do so quickly and quietly, and indeed invite members of the public who are leaving the debating chamber also to leave quickly and quietly please. Ms Baker, you have seven minutes. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I am pleased to be able to secure this debate this afternoon, and I thank members from around the chamber who have supported the motion. I hope that this can be a constructive debate. I am sure that members will be keen to reflect the experiences of their constituents and contribute towards finding solutions. I would also like to welcome Sheila Cooper to the gallery this afternoon. Sheila's dog, Millie, died following a collision with an off-road motorbike. This is a current court case, so I won't say any more about the incident, but this has been very traumatic for Sheila. She is now campaigning for action on illegal bike use and has collected over 15,000 signatures in support of her campaign, and I am pleased that today's debate provides opportunity to highlight her hard work. I would also like to welcome David Payton and Gordon Gurley from Kingdom Off-Road Motorcycle Club. While I expect that much of this debate will be about problematic off-road biking, clubs such as Kingdoms offer opportunities for people to learn, enjoy exciting and exhilarating sport and offer part of the solution to those challenges. I will say more about that later. The popularity of quad bikes and off-road bikes has grown in recent years. With an increase in cheap imports, off-road bikes, quads and mini motor bikes are now much more accessible and affordable than ever before, and all the edges are attracted to bikes. Bike ownership and the desire to enjoy those bikes is not going away. How do we support responsible ownership and deal with the negative impacts of illegal off-road biking? As the popularity and accessibility of those bikes grow, there has been an increase in reports of antisocial behaviour with communities being blighted by noise pollution. In addition, people have been threatened by antisocial behaviour in public parks, footpaths and pavements. As an example, recently in Kirkcaldy, nursery staff with small children who were playing in Beverage Park reported being alarmed and threatened by people who were tearing around on off-road bikes. Those off-road bikes can be ridden on private land with the landowner's permission, but other activity is illegal. Talking about antisocial behaviour, we often assume that it is teenagers, but that is not the experience in Mid Scotland and Fife where adults have also been involved in dangerous and disruptive behaviour. Because of this irresponsible behaviour, too many people are not feeling safe in their community, and that is not acceptable. People report to me that when they challenge this behaviour, they often receive abuse and feel further threatened. Earlier this year in Fife, another dog was injured in a collision. At the time, the police comment was that it is by pure chance that the dog's owner was not injured in this incident. Once again, this incident reinforces the danger posed to pedestrians by the illegal use of motorbikes on and off-road. This is the threat that people are living with. I have also had conversations with farmers in Fife, whose land has been damaged, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to their crops. Efforts to restrict access through gates has led to chains being cut, and hoods and balaclavas mean that CCTV has not been much use. Constituents have also expressed to me their frustrations in phoning the 101 number with this matter. I have reports of lengthy waits for the phone to be answered, lack of local knowledge on the phone and frustration that they can't contact the local officer. The minister will have heard those concerns before. In Fife, we have local police running Operation Ducati in the Levenmouth area, and Operation Fireblade has recently launched a kirkode. They are making efforts to clamp down on those using their bikes illegally on and off-road, including a race. Officers cannot pursue offenders, but they are working to identify those responsible and take action to stop their behaviour. I appreciate the steps that the police in Fife are taking. I know that, in other areas, officers use bikes themselves to contain illegal activity, and if that is effective, we should look at greater use of that. However, we must ensure that the police have all the tools in their box to deal with that. In discussions with stakeholders, strengthening fixed penalty notices has been highlighted as a way to give the police more options to deal with antisocial behaviour, and the minister may wish to comment on that in closing. Police can use powers to seize bikes from owners. In some cases, it might resolve the issue, but in others, it only gives respite. Last year, in Fife, theft of quad bikes and off-road bikes doubled, with 43 bikes being reported as stolen in one year. We could also look at changing the licensing system for off-road bikes. Under current rules, an off-road vehicle does not have to be taxed or registered. DVLA has introduced an off-road register where you can record your off-road bike, and that would help police if it were stolen. However, there is the view that mandatory registration should be introduced for all bikes. That is seen as a way to encourage responsible ownership, properly record details of the owners and trace bikes. On the other hand, many off-road bikes are not suitable for on-road usage, and is it proportionate to introduce this level of registration for recreational bikes if they are used responsibly? DVLA is reserved, but we should consider the merits of registration and whether we want to represent it on this matter. A full police response is important. It recognises the severity of the activity and deals with criminal behaviour, as well as providing assurance to the public. However, this is a complex issue, and we need a holistic approach to the problem. We need to stress the importance of education to encourage responsible off-road activity and to raise awareness among owners. What can the Government do to increase responsible ownership? Is there a need for a awareness-raising campaign among retailers to encourage responsible sales and for buyers to have a full understanding of the law? We also need to support opportunities for recreational use for everyone and focus on diversionary activity for some problematic users where behaviour change could be achieved. Kingdom Off-Road Motorcycle Club is planning to run a summer programme in the next few weeks. It will work with young people who are referred to them by SACRO and the police, and young people will learn bike maintenance skills, bike safety and responsible behaviour. Kingdom first ran a pilot in 2009 that was successful in reducing problematic behaviour. That kind of programme will not address all anti-social behaviour, and the use of those bikes is sometimes involved in much more serious criminal activity, but it can make a difference to the behaviour of young people, which will give us a more longer lasting, more sustainable solution to those problems. In addition to that, the availability of legitimate opportunities to enjoy off-road biking is also part of the solution. I am supportive of efforts by Kingdom Off-Road Motorcycles to establish an indoor motor track in Levenmouth. The proposed model would give access to affordable, accessible, legal off-road biking within controlled conditions. It could also encourage responsible ownership, offer skills development, provide employment and aim to get bikes off the streets in communities of Levenmouth and Fife. I wish them well with this project. We have a responsibility to respond to this problem. We cannot be complacent about the degree of off-road illegal motorbiking and the accompanying anti-social behaviour that is happening in some of our communities, and we must take action to stop it. Many thanks. I now call on David Torrance to be followed by Paul Martin. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I thank Claire Baker for bringing this motion to Parliament and to welcome this opportunity to speak about promoting responsible off-road motorbikes and quad-bike ownership. Unfortunately, in the last few years of recording constituency, which I represent, there has been an increasing number of people who have motorbikes and quad bikes who are not using them in a responsible and appropriate way. There have always been recorded instances of people using bikes causing problems in various ways within the community. However, the number of constituent cases that I have dealt with recently has escalated significantly. There are many areas of land in open spaces within my constituency that lend themselves to the ideal locations for off-road motorbikes and quad-bike activity, particularly in the Leave Malfire area. Those areas are now being utilised by irresponsible bike owners to adapt to those living in the surrounding area. The activities that are engaged in by their bike owners are often taking place in unsocial waters and in a way that is hazardous not only to themselves but to others. I have been out at some of these locations to talk with residents and see for myself the impact that is having. The land used for the biking is churned up and often left in need of repair by a farmer or land-over. This is not only time-consuming for them but often costly. However, in many ways and perhaps more significantly, is the distress caused to residents in the immediate vicinity by a noise and the continuity, especially by those with families and pets that a serious accident will occur. In March this year, a couple lost their pet, Millie, which was knocked down and killed by a man on an off-road motorbike, which they were out walking on waste ground in Meffel. The loss of a much loved pet led to owners starting Millie's plea petition calling for an end of off-road motorcycle menaces in the area. In April, they were close to reaching 15,000 signatures. This gives a clear indication of the strength of feeling by community of the severity of the problem that is caused by these bikes. The bikers who are involved in the activity are also placing themselves at risk. Recently, a young biker was seriously injured and broke his back while codd biking on the coal bank and had to be airlifted to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. I spoke with the community inspector for the Levenmouth area and, through correspondence on various occasions, I expressed my concerns and those of my constituents in an effort to find a resolution to his problem being faced. The police are very aware of the issue and have been involved and have worked hard to ensure the safety of all concerned. The list has led to the information of Operation Ducati in 2014 and is still on going. A local police initiative aimed at targeting those involved in the illegal use of motorbikes and off-road. Since its inception, the police have yielded some positive results, both in apprehending offenders and in reducing the number of incidents occurring. However, there are certain legal restraints on the police applicable to those particular issues that need to be addressed, and they are cognisant at all times that the safety of both the public and those participating in the illegal use of these bikes must be of paramount importance. It is essential that all venues are explored to heighten awareness of what can be done to solve the problem of illegal and dangerous off-road biking before anyone is killed. The bikers need to be made fully aware that they are breaking the law, not only by riding these vehicles without plates, a licence or insurance by simply riding the bikes on land not owned by themselves and that they are doing so in the face of the possibility of having their bikes confiscated. In order for a police to continue to address this problem, parents and the general public need to be made aware of the vital part that they can play by reporting instances of antisocial behaviour, as it will help the police to identify who is responsible for the nuisance so that they can take action. Many people enjoy biking in different forms in a safe and responsible way as possible, and they are members of off-road motor cycle clubs and it is essential that we educate all those young people interested in off-road biking in whatever form is the best and safest way to participate in this activity and to try and guide them to appropriate and safe venues and to follow and enjoy the activity like kingdom off-road bikes. I encourage owners to register bikes through the DVLA's voluntary registration scheme and I will support the consideration of a mandatory registration for induction across the UK. I congratulate Claire Baker on her contribution and recognise the petition that she advises of today. I will be one of those people who will be adding my name to the £15,000 strong petition. I think that this is a serious issue that Ms Cooper has raised through Claire Baker. It is one that we should take seriously in this chamber and it is one that I have pursued in this chamber on a number of occasions, not just with the current Scottish Government but previously and way back as far back as prior to the antisocial behaviour act where I brought forward an amendment to the act that has allowed police officers to recover the bikes, to repossess them and to ensure that those individuals cannot continue with their activities. I commend some of the excellent work that is locally led by Inspector Gormley in my constituency in recovering a number of off-road vehicles and the activities of the officers who have led the operations to detect those individuals. As Claire Baker has said, it is not always teenagers who are involved in those activities. I have witnessed adjacent to where I love adults riding off-road vehicles with their children, which I find unacceptable. We should take action to ensure that those adults and children are both informed of the serious dangers associated with such activities but also the risk that they pose to others around them who are going about the law-abiding business. The fact that we have that legislation in place, the fact that it is being enforced by the police effectively in my experience means that we have to ensure that further powers are available to deal with it. The issue of DVLA registration is crucial in this debate. If we are serious about tackling this issue, we need to know where the bikes have been registered in the first place. The officers that I have discussed this matter with have advised me that, yes, they have local intelligence that can tell them where the bikes are located, but it tends to be not the most sophisticated intelligence process for them and to have a registration process in place to allow them to be able to detect individuals as a result of that would be a very important part of the tool that would be available to them in that respect. I can also say that parents play a crucial role in this place. I cannot for the life of me understand why parents would purchase a quad bike for the children and allow them to ride that particular vehicle in an area that has not been properly monitored, such as the one that was referred to by Claire Baker in the Kingdom facility. Of course, people are entitled to purchase such vehicles if they want their children to be entertained, but it should be in the proper environment. Action has to be considered for parents who allow this irresponsible activity to take place, and they should take action. I have spoken with housing providers in my area about them ensuring that action is taken where tenancies, where children are involved in antisocial activity, to ensure that we can move that issue forward. Can I just say in conclusion, Presiding Officer? I think that this issue has been raised in this chamber on a number of occasions. We cannot underestimate the serious dangers that these bikes pose in their own hands unless we are willing to take action and recognise that it is not just an issue that affects the rural parts of the constituencies represented in this Parliament, it also affects many urban communities where these bikes are falling into their own hands. I think that it is extremely important that we look at action that has been taken by the Government and representations that are made to the DVLA to ensure compulsory registration of the road vehicles. Many thanks. I will now call on Murdo Fraser, after which we will move to the closing speech from the minister. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I start by congratulating Claire Baker on securing this debate. Antisocial behaviour is a problem for communities across Scotland, and it is even more challenging in some rural communities where the absence of entertainment and other opportunities can exacerbate the problem. As we have heard, unfortunately, the use of quadbikes and off-road vehicles to commit antisocial crimes is becoming increasingly common. At its worst, irresponsible owners terrorise communities and can cause serious damage to farmland and other productive areas. I would support any initiative to promote responsible vehicle ownership and I would commend the suggestions that Claire Baker has brought forward. Claire Baker has already spoken at length about the success of Operation Ducati in helping to tackle antisocial quadbike ownership and I would like to commend officers and Fife for all their hard work in helping to curb the issue. We would all agree that good policing has a big role to play in reducing irresponsible ownership and use of these vehicles. I have always believed that a local approach should be taken towards tackling antisocial crimes. While the debate is not about the merits of the single police force, I am concerned that its creation has robbed some areas of a targeted local policing strategy. Any officer in the beat would agree that local knowledge is invaluable when dealing with antisocial behaviour and that I would encourage Police Scotland to consider how best to deploy resources in order to combat these crimes. On the national level, as we have heard, the UK Government is working hard to encourage responsible ownership and I would call on vehicle owners throughout Mid Scotland and Fife across Scotland to voluntarily register their bikes with the DVLA. It is a simple step that can help to protect owners against theft and also help to reduce rural crime. Thieves, as we know, are quick to target farm vehicles as an easy hit due to their lack of traceability and their strong resale value. A registered bike gives the police much greater chance of recovery. However, we have to be careful in this debate not to tar all quad bike owners with the same brush. As there are many responsible owners out there in the cross, the region that I represent off-road biking is an emerging industry that is sustaining a large number of rural jobs. Claire Baker talked to some of the activities that are happening in Fife in the Highland Perthshire area—another part of the region that we represent. We see quad biking in a number of localities as becoming a mecca for off-road thrill seekers. Companies such as Scottish Quads, Highland Off-Road, Activates, the Perthshire Off-Road Driving Centre and Pitlockry's Outdoor Activity Centre are just a few of the places that are offering quad bike treks through beautiful Perthshire countryside. As someone who takes a very thorough approach to the debate to preparation, I had the foresight some years ago to visit Scottish Quads and take on one of their trails. Not only are these courses a great deal of fun, but there is a focus on safety and respect for the natural environment, and I would encourage other members who are interested to go on their own fact-finding missions in Perthshire or elsewhere. In addition to those who ride their motor and quad bikes in an antisocial manner, there are also instances of four by four owners driving inappropriately on remote Highland roads. I remember a few years ago there was a big issue on the cardiac pass between Fort Augustus and Lagan with four by four vehicles using what was General Wade's military road and causing a great deal of damage. The impact of this type of behaviour on fragile Highland roads can be just as dangerous as riding motorbikes and quad bikes recklessly in more residential areas. Tackling both of those issues will require a degree of community engagement, and I would call on members of the public to report these crimes when they see them. In conclusion, it is important that the Scottish Government supports and promotes the DVLA voluntary registration scheme, as this could play a central role in apprehending thieves and irresponsible owners. I would encourage local residents to report irresponsible owners to the police as a first step. Curbing dangerous bike riders will require a strategy that works with owners, the police and members of the public. I will take time to monitor the issue over the coming months. I will close by thanking Clare Baker once again for bringing this important issue to the chamber. We now move to the closing speech from the minister, Paul Wheelhouse, minister of seven minutes. I am pleased to respond on behalf of the Scottish Government. I congratulate Clare Baker for securing the debate, which brings a focus on the dangers caused by the irresponsible use of quad bikes and other off-road vehicles. I have certainly been keen to engage with Clare Baker on the issue in meeting with Clare Baker already on this matter, so I know that she is taking it seriously for some time. I agree that vehicles such as quad bikes—indeed, I take Murdo Fraser's point regarding 4x4s off roads and using inappropriate roads—need to be used and are used responsibly by the majority of people for recreational enjoyment through membership of official off-road vehicle clubs such as the Kingdom Off-Roads Motorcycle Club that Clare Baker refers to or, indeed, through private businesses that Murdo Fraser referred to. I have participated in activities in Perthshire myself, with the nail limits, I think, as the company based in that area, and I very much enjoyed it in an organised and safe environment to try a quad bike. We also have to acknowledge that they do support jobs, and we also have to acknowledge the problem of anti-social use of such vehicles, which has previously been highlighted and discussed in the chamber, and Paul Martin is absolutely right on that point. It is an issue of long-standing debate in the chamber, and I would like to express my own personal sympathies on those of the Scottish Government to Sheila Cooper, Clare Baker and David Torrance constituent who is present in the chamber today. I will not go into the detail of that by very much sympathise with the situation that Sheila Cooper finds herself in. A key aim of the Scottish Government is to ensure that everyone feels safe in their community and is able to go about their business in peace. It is completely unacceptable, though, for people to be afraid to use public spaces that were designed for all to share and to improve the quality of life within their communities. I am aware that inappropriate use of quad bikes can place a financial burden on our communities through damaged agricultural land, a number of members referred to that, or repair costs of local authority land and property. I entirely take the point. I am about to make a reference to Rhaol Ilyw about a time to take the point that Paul Martin has made. That is an urban as well as a rural issue, and I very much recognise that. Recently, I heard a report about a farmer in Fife who suffered hundreds of pounds of damage to his wheat crops because of the misuse of those vehicles, and that cannot be tolerated. There are provisions contained within the Antisocial Behaviour Act 2020, allowing police officers to seize vehicles that are being used antisocial, although I appreciate that it can be difficult—and it is difficult in many cases—for the police to apprehend individuals at the time of the offence. However, information from concerned citizens can help officers to identify those who are responsible, and that should also be encouraged. Following my meeting with Claire Baker in January this year, discussions have taken place with Police Scotland about improving the recording of vehicles seized under antisocial behaviour legislation. I am pleased to confirm that new police data management system introduced in February will allow better recording of this data. That will help to inform the development policy to tackle this issue. That will help both in urban and rural areas, as I know that Paul Martin has asked similar questions in the past. We are addressing those concerns. Where quad bikes are being used on the road, they must be appropriately registered, taxed and have an MOT. However, since most quad bikes do not meet road safety standards, they must not be used on the roads, and the lack of a compulsory registration scheme means that such vehicles are easy to sell on if they are stolen. It is difficult for the police to ascertain who has owned a vehicle to recover it and send it back to its original owner. It is supportive of any initiative that may help to prevent theft of quad bikes or other off-road vehicles, and it encourages registration so that owners can easily be traced. I wonder whether, on taking that forward, the minister will consider making representations to Westminster to require such vehicles to be registered. I am coming on to that point, Mr Martin. I will address that directly. However, such schemes are clearly in the interests of the owners as well as those in forcing the law. The licensing of vehicles is a matter reserved to the UK Government, and we recognise that, although we cannot make the registration of vehicles compulsory ourselves. The DVLE operates a voluntary off-road registration scheme that a number of members have mentioned. The DVLE has advised me—we have corresponded with the DVLE on this issue—that details of vehicles registered under the scheme are held in both the DVLE's database and the police national computer. The scheme is free, and I want to stress that it is entirely free for people to register a vehicle. I am committed to promoting it widely throughout Scotland. That will be a first step, clearly. Therefore, as well as making information on the scheme that is available through the Scottish Government website, I will be encouraging its use through local authority, anti-social behaviour officers, the National Farmers Union Scotland, Police Scotland, Farm Watch, the Scottish Crofting Federation and any other organisation that has an interest in tackling the anti-social use of those vehicles and preventing the theft of those vehicles from businesses and causing them financial difficulties in replacing them. Before we come to the end, I will briefly clarify the point. The individuals that we are dealing with here will not voluntarily register their vehicles, so the compulsory process of that will ensure that they do register the vehicles. We are not targeting individuals who just will not register them. I am happy to address that issue, Presiding Officer. What we are stressing is here. We know that, as Clare Baker identified, there are some vehicles that are bought for private use and some cheaper vehicles are now in the market, but we know that potentially some of the vehicles are stolen. The police cannot prove that those vehicles are stolen. What we want to do is to be able to choke off the supply of vehicles that come from being stolen from agricultural businesses and other land-based businesses and find those getting into the system. If we can choke off that supply of vehicles, we will hopefully be able to concentrate on the retail end and get the responsible registration of vehicles there as well. There are a number of issues that we have to address. I take Mr Martin's point entirely, but we have to try to find a way of reducing the number of thefts of vehicles that Clare Baker identified. We are trying to get a handle on exactly how many are finding the way through that route, perhaps for export, but also staying in Scotland and being used illegally. A number of points were raised earlier on. I want to address Murdo Fraser's point about local policing, because I think that it is an important one. I am not expecting overnight support for Police Scotland for Murdo Fraser in respect of the merger, but I stress that there is an opportunity out of Police Scotland, which I hope local communities see as an opportunity to have a local policing plan for every ward in Scotland. It is important that evidence that David Torrance talked of being gathered from his constituents and Clare Baker from hers, Paul Martin from his and indeed from Murdo Fraser, that we feed that into Police Scotland and make sure that the local policing plans reflect community concerns. That is an opportunity, I hope, that the members here present sees. In terms of taking the point entirely, Murdo Fraser made about many responsible off-road bikers. I think that we shouldn't tar everyone with this brush. There are legitimate activities going on, but we have to ask people to respect private land and the environment, which is a very good point, and the safety of the public, which is paramount in addressing that. I very much congratulate the likes of Kingdom Off-Road Motorcycles and, indeed, other businesses and organisations for providing opportunities safely and diversionary activities in effect to keep people away from doing this illegally and in an organised, regulated and safe environment. It is great to see that happening at a local level. I take the point that was made earlier on by members to look at what we can do with retailers, so I will take that away to see if we can do anything to encourage voluntary registration through retailers. I reiterate the point that we are pleased to hear police officers are using seizure vehicle powers granted to them under the anti-social behaviour acts provision through Operation Ducati. I welcome members' support for that and, indeed, for working Glasgow, as Paul Martin mentioned. I share your concerns about the blight and concern that driving off-road vehicles has in both our rural and urban communities and will arrange for information that is provided on the Scottish Government's website, raising public awareness of the DVLA's voluntary registration scheme. We cannot, unfortunately, force it to become compulsory. We will continue a dialogue with the DVLA and UK ministers on the issue, but, by working together, we can tackle the anti-social use of off-road vehicles and make our communities safer for all. I thank you all for taking part in this important debate. I now suspend Parliament until 2.30.